Dietary intake and status of vitamin B12 in Slovenian population

Lavriša, Živa (author), Hristov, Hristo (author), Hribar, Maša (author), Žmitek, Katja (author), Kušar, Anita (author), Koroušić-Seljak, Barbara (author), Gregorič, Matej (author), Blaznik, Urška (author), Gregorič, Nadan (author), Zaletel, Katja (author), Oblak, Adrijana (author), Osredkar, Joško (author), Pravst, Igor (author)

Vitamin B12 deficiency poses a health concern, especially in vulnerable populations. Dietary vitamin B12 intake was obtained by two 24 h dietary recalls and food propensity questionnaires in a representative Slovenian cross-sectional food consumption survey, SI.Menu (n = 1248 subjects; 10–74 years). For a subgroup of 280 participants, data on serum vitamin B12 were available through the Nutrihealth study. The estimated usual population-weighted mean daily vitamin B12 intakes were 6.2 µg (adults), 5.4 µg (adolescents), and 5.0 µg (elderly). Lower intakes were observed in females. Inadequate daily vitamin B12 intake (<4 µg) was detected in 37.3% of adolescents, 31.7% of adults, and 58.3% elderlies. The significant predictors for inadequate daily vitamin B12 intake were physical activity score in all age groups, sex in adolescents and adults, financial status and smoking in elderly, and employment in adults. Meat (products), followed by milk (products), made the highest vitamin B12 contribution in all age groups. In adolescents, another important vitamin B12 contributor was cereals. The mean population-weighted serum vitamin B12 levels were 322.1 pmol/L (adults) and 287.3 pmol/L (elderly). Low serum vitamin B12 concentration (<148 nmol/L) and high serum homocysteine (>15 µmol/L) were used as criteria for vitamin B12 deficiency. The highest deficiency prevalence was found in elderlies (7.0%), particularly in males (7.9%). Factors associated with high serum homocysteine were also investigated. In conclusion, although vitamin B12 status was generally not critical, additional attention should be focused particularly to the elderly.

• Language: English
• Keywords: vitamin B12, deficiency, homocysteine, folate, EU menu
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FFA - Faculty of Pharmacy; BF - Biotechnical Faculty; MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2022
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 22 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss. 2, art. 334
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-140235
• UDC: 577.16:613.292
• ISSN on article: 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu14020334
• COBISS.SI-ID: 93577219
• Publication date in RUL: 13.09.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Nutrients
• Shortened title: Nutrients
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2072-6643
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2948140

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 13.09.2022

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: pomanjkanje, homocistein, folati, prehranska dopolnila, vitamini