Estimating phytate intake from the US diet using the NHANES data

Abstract

Phytate found in plant source foods has long been considered an antinutrient but recent studies have shown its beneficial antioxidant properties. Despite its health benefits, there are very few options for assessing phytate intake, especially in epidemiological studies. The aim of this study was to demonstrate an approach for estimating phytate intake from the US diet using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. We used data from NHANES 2009–2010 and 2013–2014 cycles and their corresponding Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED). To estimate phytate intake, the phytate content of nine food groups from the Food and Agriculture Organization/International Network of Food Data Systems/International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group (FAO/INFOODS/IZiNCG) database were merged with the appropriate FPED data. Phytate intake values were first estimated at the food group level and summed up to obtain daily intakes using two different approaches depending on the FPED data chosen. The mean phytate intake was 738 ± 10 mg/day for 2009–2010 and 784 ± 16 mg/day for 2013–2014. Refined grains contributed 52–53 % while nuts and seeds contributed 11–12 % to phytate intake. This new approach will be useful for further evaluating the relationships among phytate intake, micronutrient status and other health outcomes in the US population.