ASSESSMENT OF NUTRIENT ADEQUACY OF ADULT RESIDENTS IN CHINA

Objective To estimate the usual nutrients intake distributions of adults in China by Iowa State University,ISU) method in order to assess the prevalence of inadequate or excessive nutrients intakes with the Dietary Reference Intakes as reference values.Method The data of China National Nutrition and Health Survey in 2002 were used for analysis.After estimating the usual nutrients intake distributions of carbohydrate,protein,fat,calcium,iron,zinc,selenium,magnesium,thiamine and riboflavin by ISU method among 43 672 adults,the estimated average requirements(EAR) were used as cutoff points for verifying the proportion of individuals having inadequate nutrients intake.The usual intakes of macronutrients outside the acceptable macronutrient distibution ranges(AMDR) meant a major imbalance in energy intakes.Results The proportion of the intakes of energy from carbohydrate and protein below the lowest standard of adequate intake(AI) or AMDRs was about 40% and 20% respectively.The proportion of fat energy ratio that was higher than the upper limit of AI was around 50%.We found high prevalence rates of calcium,zinc,selenium,magnesium,thiamine and riboflavin inadequacies in adults,among which calcium inadequacy reached above 95%,and those of thiamine and riboflavin inadequacies reached above 80%.Conclusion The energy ratio of macronutrients was imbalanced among Chinese adults,and the dietary calcium,zinc,selenium,magnesium,thiamine and riboflavin inadequacies were prevalent.