Dietary intake of zinc in the population of Jiangsu Province, China.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate dietary zinc and other divalent minerals intake among the population of Jiangsu Province.

METHODS

3,867 subjects aged 4-89 years were representatively sampled in two urban and six rural areas of Jiangsu Province. Dietary intake was assessed using 24-hour recalls on three consecutive days. Insufficient zinc intake was calculated based on the Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes.

RESULTS

Overall, the percentage of subjects with insufficient intake of zinc was 22.9%, with a declining trend with age. Except for the group>or=50 years, mean zinc intake of all other groups were below the age- and sex- specific Recommended Nutrition Intakes (RNI). Approximately 2/3rds of the subjects<or=17 years of age had insufficient zinc intakes. Compared with the age group below 11 years, risk of insufficient zinc intake increased in the adolescents aged 11-17 years (OR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.86-2.36), but decreased in adults aged 18-49 years and >or=50 years (OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.66-0.8; OR:0.55, 95%CI: 0.47-0.64). Mean intake of iron, copper, magnesium and selenium met the Chinese DRIs respectively, except for selenium in females. The prevalence of insufficient intake of copper, magnesium and selenium was 37.2%, 22.8% and 29.3%, respectively, while the overall prevalence of insufficient iron intake was only 3.4%.

CONCLUSION

Dietary zinc intake of the Jiangsu Province population does not generally meet the Chinese RNI. Children and adolescents in particular have a higher risk of insufficient zinc intake.