Fueling an epidemic of non-communicable disease in the Balkans: a nutritional survey of Bosnian adults.

Abstract

Dietary surveys are essential for guiding national efforts to reduce the burden of non-communicable disease, but individual-level dietary data are lacking in many low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of inadequate and excessive intakes of specific nutrients in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A dietary survey among 853 adults using two 24-h recalls. The majority of men (73%) and women (66%) were overweight/obese, and > 50% of participants had elevated blood pressure. Low intakes of N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically α-linolenic acid (men: 94.4mg/day among, women: 96.6mg/day) and DHA + EPA (men: 18.2mg/day, women: 16.0mg/day), low fiber intake (women: 21.5g/day), and high sodium (men: 3244mg/day, women: 2291mg/) and saturated fatty acids intakes (men: 29.2g/day) were reported. There was also a suggestion of low intakes of vitamins A, B6, C and D (in both sexes), and of riboflavin, folate, B12 and calcium (in women). Our findings provide initial evidence on the Bosnian population's dietary habits and identify aspects that need attention. As the survey evolves into a continuing surveillance system, it will allow evaluation of dietary changes over time.