Energy and nutrient intake and adequacy in Mexican adolescent women: results of a probabilistic survey

Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe energy and nutrient intake and adequacy of Mexican adolescents women aged 12 to 19 years old and to analyze differences between area and socioeconomic status (SES). We studied a national probabilistic sample of 4612 Mexican adolescents from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (2006). A 7 day semi‐quantitative FFQ was used to determine nutrient intakes. SES was determined by household characteristics and possessions of goods and divided into tertiles (low, middle and high). We used Estimated Average Requirement to estimate percentage of adequacy. T‐tests were used to evaluate differences in intake and adequacy between area of residence (rural/urban) and SES. Our results revealed that urban women reported significantly higher energy, protein, fat, vitamin A, C, folate, heme iron, zinc, and calcium intake than those in rural areas (p<0.05). Low SES women reported significantly less energy, protein, fat, vitamin A, C, folate, heme iron, zinc and calcium intake than women in the other SES (p<0.05). Energy, protein, fat, vitamin A, C, folate, zinc and calcium adequacy percentages were significantly lower in the low SES and in rural areas compared to urban areas and the other SES. Community and political strategies are necessary to improve nutrient intake and adequacy among women in rural area and low SES.