Importance of food fortification in combating and overcoming micronutrient deficiencies in obese individuals

The nutrient-poor foods are a key component to the rise in obesity worldwide. Considering the worldwide prevalence of obesity, a significant part of the population could be afflicted by themicronutrient deficiency. The aim of this paper was to describe the micronutrient status in obese women attending the nutrition clinic. In this cross-sectional study, height, weight, waist and hip circumferences of 120 obese women (18-45 years) who referred to the nutrition clinic were measuredin Ardabil. Dietary intake using three 24-hour recalls (2 weekdays and 1 weekend day) were analyzed by a registered dietitian. In this study, the Dietary Reference Intake standards were used to evaluate the prevalence of inadequate intakes of micronutrients. In the obese subjects, the prevalence ofinadequate intakes was 54.7% for iron, 49.3% for zinc, 96.0% for calcium, 78.7% for vitamin A,72.0% for vitamin E and 96.0% for folate. Our study has demonstrated a high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies in obese women attending the nutrition clinic. Based on the results, it seems that we need to long-term intervention strategies for combating and overcoming micronutrient deficiencies

کلیدواژه ها:

diet quality ، micronutrient deficiencies ، obesity