Older women and children and adolescents constitute the groups that consume, to a greater extent, diets of low nutritional quality. In addition, the latter are the population group with the highest risk of nutritional deficiencies, according to the White Book on Vitamins in the diet of Spaniards, prepared by the Advisory Group on Nutrition (GRAN).
The study also reveals that in the communities of Andalusia and the Canary Islands the most deficient nutritional values are detected and that the determinants of risk of malnutrition are related to the oldest age groups, the female subgroup with little education and a low socioeconomic background , widowers and men and women who live alone.
By communities, Andalusia, the Basque Country, Catalonia and the Canary Islands show the most relevant deficiencies. More than five% of the Andalusian population suffers from vitamin B1, B2 and B6 deficiencies, the same percentage of Catalans have a lack of vitamin B6 and E, and also five% of Basques reach suboptimal levels of vitamin B12 and E. In addition , more than fifteen% of the population of these communities and of the Canary Islands needs a supply of serum folates.
Likewise, 43% of men and 37% of women consume poor-quality diets, although the highest percentage of poor-quality diets was detected in the youngest and older women.
The vitamins that are consumed the least by generality are A, D, E, niacin and folates, while the elderly of both sexes have deficiencies of B1 and the elderly men of B2.
Vitamin supplements
The study points to a need for folic acid supplementation in fertile women, vitamin B12 in the elderly, vitamin D in the elderly exposed to the sun, and vitamin E and A in some population groups.
Given this situation, experts recommend polyvitamins, iron and folic acid in the preconception period and during the first two trimesters of pregnancy, polyvitamins or polyfortified foods in children and adolescents, vitamins E, folic, carotenes, D and B12 for the elderly, and others specific for patients with digestive and kidney disease, signs of malnutrition or undergoing major surgery.
Hello Readers, I am Nikki Bella a Psychology student. I have always been concerned about human behavior and the mental processes that lead us to act and think the way we do. My collaboration as an editor in the psychology area of Well Being Pole has allowed me to investigate further and expand my knowledge in the field of mental health; I have also acquired great knowledge about physical health and well-being, two fundamental bases that are directly related and are part of all mental health.