Food group intake and micronutrient adequacy in adolescent girls.

Pubmed ID: 23201841

Pubmed Central ID: PMC3509514

Journal: Nutrients

Publication Date: Nov. 12, 2012

MeSH Terms: Humans, Female, Adolescent, Longitudinal Studies, Diet, Young Adult, Child, Dietary Carbohydrates, Dairy Products, Fruit, Vegetables, Meat, Food, Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Dietary Fats, Micronutrients, Minerals, Nutrition Policy, Nutritional Requirements, Vitamins

Grants: R21DK075068, R21 DK075068

Authors: Moore LL, Bradlee ML, Singer MR, Qureshi MM, Daniels SR

Cite As: Moore LL, Singer MR, Qureshi MM, Bradlee ML, Daniels SR. Food group intake and micronutrient adequacy in adolescent girls. Nutrients 2012 Nov 12;4(11):1692-708.

Studies:

Abstract

This study explores the contribution of food group intakes to micronutrient adequacy among 2379 girls in the National Growth and Health Study during three age periods (9-13, 14-18, and 19-20 years). Data on food and nutrient intakes from 3-day diet records over 10 years were used to estimate mean intakes and percent meeting Dietary Guidelines (DGA) recommendations for food intakes and Institute of Medicine's recommendations for vitamins and minerals. More than 90% of girls failed to consume the recommended amounts of fruit, vegetables and dairy; 75% consumed less than the recommended amounts in the "meat" group. The vast majority of girls of all ages had inadequate intakes of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins D and E. In contrast, they consumed >750 kcal/day (~40% of total energy) from the DGA category of solid fat and added sugars, about five times the recommended maximum intakes. This study shows the importance of consuming a variety of foods in all five food groups, including those that are more energy dense such as dairy and meats, in order to meet a broad range of nutrient guidelines. Diet patterns that combined intakes across food groups led to greater improvements in overall nutritional adequacy.