EVALUATION OF FOLATE STATUS BY SERUM AND ERYTHROCYTE FOLATE LEVELS AND DIETARY FOLATE INTAKE IN TAIWANESE SCHOOLCHILDREN
Resource
ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION v.16 pp.572-578
Journal
ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CLINICAL
Journal Volume
v.16
Journal Issue
NUTRITION
Pages
572-578
Date Issued
2007
Date
2007
Author(s)
CHEN, KUAN-JU
SHAW, NING-SING
Abstract
The folate status and dietary folate intake of Taiwanese
schoolchildren was investigated by analysis of both serum
and red blood cell (RBC) folate levels and dietary folate
intake in 1105 boys and 958 girls aged 6-13 years sampled
from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan Elementary
School Children 2001-2002 (NAHSIT Children 2001-2002). Mean
serum folate levels were 18.3 +/- 8.8 nmol/L (8.1 +/- 3.9 ng
/mL) in boys and 20.3 +/- 9.7 nmol/L (9.0 +/- 4.3 ng/mL) in
girls. Mean RBC folate levels were 700 +/- 320 nmol/L (308 +
/- 141 ng/mL) in boys and 751 +/- 347 nmol/L (331 +/- 153 ng
/mL) in girls. The prevalence of serum folate deficiency was
1.4% in boys and girls, and the prevalence of marginal
serum folate deficiency (7-14 nmol/L) was 3 1. 1% in boys
and 25.8% in girls. In addition, 8.5% of boys and 7.4% girls
had RBC folate deficiency (RBC folate < 318 nmol/L), and 17
% of children had marginal RBC folate deficiency (RBC folate
of 318-454 nmol/L). Our results suggesting that Taiwanese
schoolchildren have poor folate status especially during
periods of rapid growth and development such as the
transition from childhood to early adolescence (boys at age
12-12.9, girls at age 11-12.9). The average estimated folate
intakes were 269 +/- 9 mu g/d in boys and 259 +/- 9 mu g/d
in girls, and 42% of Taiwanese schoolchildren had a dietary
folate intake below 2/3 of the RDA, indicating a poor
dietary folate intake in this population. This study shows
that the folate status of Taiwanese schoolchildren is
currently inadequate and strategies are needed for
improvement.
Subjects
folate intake
serum folate
RBC folate
schoolchildren
NAHSIT 2000-2001
SDGs
Other Subjects
folic acid; article; blood; chemistry; child; child nutrition; erythrocyte; female; folic acid deficiency; health care policy; human; male; nutritional requirement; nutritional status; physiology; sex difference; Taiwan; Child; Child Nutrition Physiology; Erythrocytes; Female; Folic Acid; Folic Acid Deficiency; Humans; Male; Nutrition Policy; Nutritional Requirements; Nutritional Status; Sex Factors; Taiwan
Type
journal article
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