Abstract
Folic acid consumed peri‐conceptionally reduces the risk of neural tube defect‐affected pregnancies. The objective of this research was to assess the folate status of a nationally representative sample of New Zealand adults, 15 y or older, prior to the introduction of mandatory folic acid fortification of bread scheduled for 2012.Serum and red blood cell folate concentrations were measured microbiologically in non‐fasting blood samples collected from 3348 participants in the 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey.In total, 1.6% (95%CI: 1.1, 2.2) of participants had serum folate concentrations less than 6.8 nmol/L, and 2.2% (1.4, 2.9) of participants had red blood cell folate concentrations less than 317 nmol/L indicative of deficiency. Mean (95%CI) red blood cell folate concentration amongst women aged 16 to 44 y was 796 nmol/L (758, 834); 27.4% (23.0, 31.7) had red blood cell folate concentrations ≥ 906 nmol/L.The prevalence of biochemical folate deficiency was low. However, more than two thirds of women of child‐bearing age had folate status associated with higher risk of neural tube defect‐affected pregnancies. Mandatory fortification of bread with folic acid is likely to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects in New Zealand.Source of Funding: The Ministry of Health, New Zealand, funded the 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey.
Published Version
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