Abstract
BackgroundDespite concerted efforts to improve diet quality and reduce malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies remain widespread globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries and among population groups with increased needs, where diets are often inadequate in iron, zinc, folate, vitamin A, calcium, and vitamin B12. There is a need to understand the density of these micronutrients and their bioavailability across diverse foods and the suitability of these foods to help meet requirements for populations with high burdens of micronutrient malnutrition.ObjectiveWe aimed to identify the top food sources of these commonly lacking micronutrients, which are essential for optimal health, to support efforts to reduce micronutrient malnutrition among various populations globally.MethodsWe built an aggregated global food composition database and calculated recommended nutrient intakes for five population groups with varying requirements. An approach was developed to rate foods according to their density in each and all priority micronutrients for various population groups with different nutrient requirements.ResultsWe find that the top sources of priority micronutrients are organs, small fish, dark green leafy vegetables, bivalves, crustaceans, goat, beef, eggs, milk, canned fish with bones, mutton, and lamb. Cheese, goat milk, and pork are also good sources, and to a lesser extent, yogurt, fresh fish, pulses, teff, and canned fish without bones.ConclusionThe results provide insight into which foods to prioritize to fill common micronutrient gaps and reduce undernutrition.
Highlights
IntroductionFood is integral to everyday life, providing essential energy and nutrients for human function
In many lowand middle-income countries (LMICs) diets are known to be lacking in micronutrients, especially for population groups with increased needs, leading to deficiencies, in iron, zinc, folate, vitamin A, calcium, and vitamin B12, that can have severe and lasting effects [1–6]
Nutrient densities are from USDA FoodData Central (FDC) [22] and national and regional food composition tables (FCTs) from LMICs globally [23]: Kenya, Malawi, and Western Africa (Sub-Saharan Africa); Bangladesh, Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam, and ASEAN (South and South-East Asia); Mexico and Colombia (Latin America)
Summary
Food is integral to everyday life, providing essential energy and nutrients for human function. In many lowand middle-income countries (LMICs) diets are known to be lacking in micronutrients, especially for population groups with increased needs, leading to deficiencies, in iron, zinc, folate, vitamin A, calcium, and vitamin B12 (hereafter referred to as “priority micronutrients”), that can have severe and lasting effects [1–6]. Current diets are failing to provide adequate density of these essential micronutrients. Anthropogenic CO2 emissions are reducing iron and zinc concentrations in crops, which highlights the increasing importance of improving dietary nutrient density [9]. Despite concerted efforts to improve diet quality and reduce malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies remain widespread globally, especially in low- and middleincome countries and among population groups with increased needs, where diets are often inadequate in iron, zinc, folate, vitamin A, calcium, and vitamin B12. There is a need to understand the density of these micronutrients and their bioavailability across diverse foods and the suitability of these foods to help meet requirements for populations with high burdens of micronutrient malnutrition
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