BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES@#
Magnesium is an essential
nutrient for
human health.However, inadequate intake is commonly reported worldwide. Along with reduced
consumption of
vegetables and
fruits and increased
consumption of refined or
processed foods, inadequate
magnesium intake is increasingly reported as a serious problem.This study aimed to assess
magnesium intake, its dietary sources, and the adequacy of
magnesium intake in Korean
populations. @*SUBJECTS/
METHODS@#Data was obtained from the
Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2019 and included individuals
aged ≥1 yr
who had participated in a
nutrition survey (n=28,418).
Dietary intake was assessed by 24-h recall, and dietary
magnesium intake was estimated using a newly established
magnesium database.
Diet adequacy was evaluated by comparing
dietary intake with the estimated average requirement (
EAR) suggested in the Korean
Dietary Reference Intakes 2020. @*RESULTS@#The mean dietary
magnesium intake of
Koreans aged ≥1 yr was 300.4 mg/d, which was equivalent to 119.8% of the
EAR. The
prevalence of individuals whose
magnesium intake met the
EAR was 56.8%. Inadequate intake was observed more in
females,
adolescents and
young adults aged 12–29 yrs, elders
aged ≥65 yrs, and individuals with low
income. About four-fifths of the daily
magnesium came from
plant-based
foods, and the major
food groups contributing to
magnesium intake were grains (28.3%),
vegetables (17.6%), and
meats (8.4%). The top 5 individual
foods that contributed to
magnesium intake were
rice, Baechu (Korean
cabbage) kimchi,
tofu,
pork, and
milk. However, the contribution of
plant foods and individual contributing
food items differed slightly by
sex and
age groups. @*CONCLUSIONS@#This study found that the mean dietary
magnesium intake among
Koreans was above the recommended intake, whereas nearly one in 2
Koreans had inadequate
magnesium intake. To better understand the status of
magnesium intake, further
research is required, which includes the intake of
dietary supplements.