In June 2018 researchers from Italy published the results of their study to assess whether individuals had an intake of micronutrients which was in accordance with the recommended guidelines of the European Food Safety Agency. Dietary information from 1,838 individuals was collected via a food frequency questionnaire. Results showed that the intake of vitamin A, vitamin C and the vitamin B group (except vitamin B9) was in line with the published guidelines. However, 3% of individuals had a lower than recommended intake for vitamin D, 10% for vitamin E, and 40% for vitamin B9. In addition, whilst the intake of iron, magnesium, and selenium was seen to be adequate for most individuals, the percentage of individuals not meeting the recommended intake was 20% for calcium, 8% for sodium and 35% for potassium. The researchers therefore called for a public awareness campaign on the importance of micronutrients, as a deficiency as well as excessive consumption could potentially affect health.
Castiglione D et al. Dietary Micronutrient and Mineral Intake in the Mediterranean Healthy Eating, Ageing, and Lifestyle (MEAL) Study. Antioxidants (Basel). 2018 Jun 23;7(7) [Epub ahead of print]