Estimation of Usual Intake and Assessment of Nutrient Intake for Korean Adolescents: Analysis of the 2010-2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract

This study assessed the nutrient intake for Korean adolescents using the estimated usual intake. The usual intake of 1,763 adolescents aged 12-17 years old was estimated from one-day 24-hour recall data in the 2010-2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey. The nutrient intakes of four groups according to sex (male and female) and age (12-14 and 15-17 years old) were then assessed in reference to the 2015 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans. For macronutrients, the proportions of subjects below and above the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR) were calculated. The Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) cut-point method was used to assess insufficient intakes of protein, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, and iron; the full probability approach was used to assess the insufficient intake for iron among females. The proportions of subjects over the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels for vitamin C, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, and iron and the proportions over the Intake Goal for sodium were calculated to assess excessive intake. The proportions of subjects above AMDR for carbohydrates ranged from 22.5% to 38.0% by group. The proportions of subjects by group with insufficient intake for vitamin C, riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus, and iron ranged 29.1-39.7%, 22.5-34.3%, 73.1-89.3%, 14.3-43.6%, and 23.2-55.5%, respectively. The proportions of subjects by group with excessive intake for sodium ranged from 91.5% to 99.3%. The results of this study represent important basic information to establish nutritional standards for school lunches as well as to decide on relevant nutrition policies for adolescents. Keywords: nutrition survey, nutrition assessment, Dietary Reference Intakes, adolescent health