Abstract
Magnesium (Mg) is an essential mineral nutrient for human health and its deficiency associated with many diseases, including stroke, heart failure, and type 2 diabetes. Vegetables are an important source of dietary Mg for humans. In this study, we quantified vegetable Mg content by a global meat analysis, analyzed human health, and economic impact caused by Mg deficiency. Results revealed that vegetable Mg content showed a large variation with an average value of 19.3 mg 100 g−1 FW. Variation in per capita vegetable-Mg supply in different continents is largely ascribed to continental difference in the amount and the type of vegetables produced. The health and economic loss attributed to Mg deficiency are estimated to be 1.91 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and 15.8 billion dollars (0.14% of GDP), respectively. A scenario analysis indicated that the increasing vegetable production (increased by 8.9% and 20.7% relative to 2017 in 2030 and 2050) and vegetable Mg content (increased by 22% through biofortification) could significantly reduce DALYs (1.24 million years) and economic burden (0.09% of GDP). This study could guide a major re-balance of production practices, species cultivated, and Mg biofortification to provide sufficient vegetable Mg for better human Mg nutrition.
Highlights
Magnesium (Mg) is the fourth most abundant mineral in human body and is required by all living cells [1]
A metaanalysis revealed that increasing dietary Mg intake by 100 mg/day in people with Mg deficiency could decrease the risk of stroke, heart failure and type 2 diabetes by 7%, 22% and 19%, respectively [10]
A survey of peer-reviewed papers published from January 1 1940 to 1 January 2018 was conducted using ISI-Web of Science (Thomson Reuters, New York, NY, USA), Google Scholar (Google Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA), and the China Knowledge Resource Integrated database (CNKI) to establish the edible-part vegetable Mg contents database for different vegetable species
Summary
Magnesium (Mg) is the fourth most abundant mineral in human body and is required by all living cells [1]. A metaanalysis revealed that increasing dietary Mg intake by 100 mg/day in people with Mg deficiency could decrease the risk of stroke, heart failure and type 2 diabetes by 7%, 22% and 19%, respectively [10]. Though Mg supplements are increasingly used in developed countries (around 7% in general population and 25% among athletes) [14], preventing wide-spread Mg deficiency through food is considered as an important and effective strategy to manage this issue [9]. When wheat is milled into wheat flour, there is an approximate 80% loss of Mg [19] Given this scenario, vegetables present an effective and widely applicable delivery route to increase dietary Mg intake, and is likely to play an increasingly important role in managing human Mg nutrition
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