Abstract
BackgroundTibetan food intake is influenced by the region's high altitude and unique culture. Few published studies of nutrient intakes among Tibetan women are available. The present study of Tibetan mothers with young children explores dietary patterns, nutrient intakes, and differences between socio-demographic groups.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 386 women with a child aged less than 24 months was conducted in rural areas surrounding Lhasa, Tibet. All participants were recruited using simple random sampling and were interviewed face-to-face by trained investigators. Dietary information was collected via a food frequency questionnaire. Nutrient intakes were calculated using food composition tables. Non-parametric tests were used to compare nutrient intakes according to socio-demographic variables, and to compare results with the 2002 Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey (2002 NNHS) and dietary reference intakes (DRIs).ResultsMedian intakes of energy (p < 0.001), protein (p < 0.001), fat (p < 0.001), vitamin A (p < 0.001), vitamin B1 (p < 0.001), vitamin B2 (p < 0.001), vitamin C (p < 0.001), and vitamin E (p < 0.001) were lower than the average levels reported in 2002 NNHS. The median intakes of calcium (517 mg/d, p < 0.001), iron (35 mg/d, p < 0.001), and zinc (17.3 mg/d, p < 0.001) were higher than the average levels in 2002 NNHS. The highest education subgroup had significantly higher intakes of vitamins A and C than the lowest education subgroup.ConclusionAlthough the diet of Tibetan mothers with young children has been partially influenced by other factors, their dietary patterns are still mostly composed of Tibetan traditional foods. Compared with the 2002 NNHS, Tibetan women with young children appear to have insufficient intakes of many nutrients, which will affect their nutritional status.
Highlights
Tibetan food intake is influenced by the region’s high altitude and unique culture
According to the 2002 Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey (2002 NNHS) [1], the prevalence of anemia in China was over 25% (Dallman et al method) among women from rural areas
Since the purpose of our study was to measure the health status of children aged under 24 months and the dietary intakes of mothers, we first calculated the sample size based on the rates of diarrhea (67.2%) and upper respiratory infection (67.3%) reported in the 2002 NNHS and the rate of breastfeeding (85%) in the Development of Chinese Children (2001-2010)
Summary
Tibetan food intake is influenced by the region’s high altitude and unique culture. Few published studies of nutrient intakes among Tibetan women are available. The present study of Tibetan mothers with young children explores dietary patterns, nutrient intakes, and differences between socio-demographic groups. According to the 2002 Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey (2002 NNHS) [1], the prevalence of anemia in China was over 25% (Dallman et al method) among women from rural areas. In 2008, we began a research project in Lhasa, Tibet, that mainly focuses on two points: first, the health status of children aged 0-24 months and the behaviors and attitudes of their mothers towards feeding; and second, the mothers’ dietary and nutrient intakes. The survey was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the China Medical Board of New York, Inc. In the current analysis, we describe Tibetan mothers’ nutritional status, and compare the differences between nutrient intakes of Tibetan women and the results for lactating mothers in the 2002 NNHS. We analyze the associations between nutrient intake and socio-demographic characteristics
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