News
Insufficient vitamin E intakes may increase hip fracture risk
1 September 2014
According to a new study from Norway, older people with low blood vitamin E concentrations seem to have an increased risk of developing hip fracture.
30 March 2016
The National Diet and Nutrition Surveys (NDNS) are a series of government-funded surveys of food intake, nutrient intake and nutritional status of the British population (adults aged 16 to 64), undertaken to support nutritional policy and risk assessment. In 2008, the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) reviewed the latest NDNS, carried out between July 2000 and June 2001, to identify specific health outcomes where the population fails to meet dietary recommendations and specific groups are at risk. In addition, the SACN provided practical proposals for improvement where sections of the population had been shown to consume a poor diet.
Results
Percentage of women with certain micronutrient intakes from food sources below the reference nutrient intakes (NDNS 2000/2001)
19-24yr |
25-34yr <RNI <LRNI |
35-49yr <RNI <LRNI |
50-64yr <RNI <LRNI |
|
Vitamin A* | 81 19 | 68 11 | 45 08 | 46 05 |
Vitamin B2 | 24 15 | 38 10 | 22 05 | 08 06 |
Vitamin B9 | 40 03 | 36 02 | 28 02 | 25 02 |
Iron | 96 42 | 93 41 | 90 07 | 38 04 |
Calcium | 56 08 | 47 06 | 38 06 | 36 03 |
Magensium | 85 22 | 84 20 | 71 10 | 66 07 |
Iodine | 63 12 | 56 05 | 38 04 | 31 01 |
Zinc | 58 05 | 60 05 | 39 04 | 33 03 |
Potassium | 67 30 | 68 30 | 78 16 | 82 10 |
*Retinol equivalents
Reference
UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. The Nutritional Wellbeing of the
British Population. London: The Stationery Office, 2008.
In 2014, the combined results from the Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the National Diet Nutrition Survey (NDNS) 2008/09 – 2011/12 were published. The NDNS rolling program aims to provide quantitative data on the food and nutrient intakes, sources of nutrients and nutritional status. The program is carried out in all four countries of the United Kingdom (UK) and is designed to be representative of the UK population. A random sample of 21,573 addresses from 799 postcode sectors was issued. Where there were multiple households at an address, a single household was selected at random. For each household, either one adult (aged 19 years and over) and one child (aged 1.5 to 18 years), or one child only were randomly selected to take part. The response rate for completion of the diary of food and drink consumption over four consecutive days was 56% for Years 1 to 4 combined.
Results
Reference
National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Results from Years 1–4 (combined) of the Rolling Programme (2008/2009 – 2011/12): Executive summary. Public Health England Wellington House, London, 2014.
1 September 2014
According to a new study from Norway, older people with low blood vitamin E concentrations seem to have an increased risk of developing hip fracture.
1 November 2014
The eye is rich in nutrients and other dietary components that support and complement each other. Some nutrients are necessary for the basic physical structure of the eye, some for the physiology of sight, and others for protection. Nutrients within the visual system can be thought of as a hierarchy representing a complex of interacting factors: while vitamin A (retinol) is essential for the formation of visual pigments, the antioxidants vitamin E, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin help to protect the lens and retina against light-induced oxidative damage, and the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) enriches neural tissues including the photoreceptor cells. These nutrients are known to be important for visual development early in life, starting from the fetus through infancy to early childhood. Visual acuity gradually improves until about age four, when it is comparable to that of adults. For adults a sufficient intake of these nutrients is needed throughout the lifespan to maintain visual performance, such as the ability to adapt to low light, recover from intense light and distinguish objects from their background.
10 June 2016
Awareness of the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids is high [1]. Consumers rate omega-3 fatty acids as being particularly healthy for the heart, eyes and brain, supported by a strong scientific basis. Yet many myths about omega-3 fatty acids abound. We help you sort fact from fiction in omega-3 science.