Assessment of the Distribution of Usual Intake of Nutrients and Estimating Prevalence of Intake Deficiency and Excess in a General over 40-Years of Age Population of Central Region of Iran: Application of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Method

Authors

Zahra Heidari1, Leila Azadbakht MD, PhD2, Awat Feizi PhD3, Nizal Sarrafzadegan MD4, Noushin Mohammadifard MSc5

1- MSc Student, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health AND Student Research Committee,
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2- Associate Professor, Food Security Research Center AND Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food
Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
3- Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Isfahan University of Medical
Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
4- Professor, Cardiovascular Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical
Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
5- PhD Student, Cardiovascular Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences,
Isfahan, Iran

Journal of Isfahan Medical School

Abstract

Background:  The health of subjects is not affected by the nutrients ingested in a particular day; it actually  is influenced by the dietary habits over a long time. In the most commonly used methods, usual food components intakes would be estimated along with bias. Considering the initiating and developing of many chronic diseases in the middle-age and elderly, majority of them affected by
nutrition, the aim of current research was to evaluate the distribution of usual intake of selected nutrients using a powerful statistical method i.e. NCI (National Cancer Institute) method in a general above 40-years-old population of central region of Iran.

 Methods: In this cross-sectional study, based on information obtained from the Isfahan Cohort Study in 2007, 1922 people aged 40 and over, were investigated. Subjects’s  dietary intakes were assessed with a 24-hour recalls and two food records. Distribution of usual nutrient intake was estimated using NCI method. The proportion of subjects at risk of nutrient intake deficiency or excess was estimated by comparing the estimated values with recommended standards, for men and women, separately

Findings: The prevalence of vitamin A inadequacy for men in different age groups was more substantial than women (58.3-96.7 percent for men vs 23.3-57.2 percent for women). The usual
calcium and dietary fiber intakes for a low percentage of studied subjects were more than recommended standards (Maximum of 7 and 28 percent for dietary fiber and calcium, respectively). There was a significant difference between men and women, at the age of 40-70 years, in terms of compliance of recommended cholesterol level (P < 0.0001) Conclusion: The results of current research showed that intake of vitamin A, calcium and dietary fiber was not adequate, and somewhat there was excess intake of cholesterol in the studied population. Thus consuming of dairies, vegetables and fruits, as the main sources of micronutrients, should be increased
in this population. Interventional population-based programs such as enriching food and training in order to adjusting the pattern of diet should be designed.

Keywords: Nutrients, Micronutrient, Macronutrient, Usual dietary intake, Dietary assessment methods, Intake deficiency and excess, National Cancer Institute (NCI) method

How to Cite

Zahra Heidari, Leila Azadbakht , Awat Feizi , Nizal Sarrafzadegan,
Noushin Mohammadifard. Assessment of the Distribution of Usual Intake of Nutrients and
Estimating Prevalence of Intake Deficiency and Excess in a General over 40-Years of Age Population of Central Region of Iran: Application of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Method. Journal of Isfahan Medical , Vol. 31, No. 242, 4th Week, Page(s) 954 To 972., August 2013.