Effects of folic acid food fortification scenarios on the folate intake of a multi-ethnic pregnant population

Author(s)

Teixeira, Juliana A. ^{[1, 2]} ; Castro, Teresa G. ^{[3, 2]} ; Wall, Clare R. ^{[2, 4]} ; Marchioni, Dirce Maria ^[1] ; Berry, Sarah ^[2] ; Morton, Susan M. B. ^[2] ; Grant, Cameron C. ^{[3, 5, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Nutr, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Auckland, Sch Populat Hlth, Ctr Longitudinal Res He Ara ki Mua, Bldg 730, Level 3, Tamaki Campus, 261 Morrin Rd, Auckland 1072 - New Zealand

^[3] Univ Auckland, Dept Paediat Child & Youth Hlth, Auckland - New Zealand

^[4] Univ Auckland, Sch Med Sci, Discipline Nutr & Dietet, Auckland - New Zealand

^[5] Auckland Dist Hlth Board, Starship Childrens Hosp, Auckland - New Zealand

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION; v. 22, n. 4, p. 738-749, MAR 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Objective: To simulate effects of different scenarios of folic acid fortification of food on dietary folate equivalents (DFE) intake in an ethnically diverse sample of pregnant women. Design: A forty-four-item FFQ was used to evaluate dietary intake of the population. DFE intakes were estimated for different scenarios of food fortification with folic acid: (i) voluntary fortification; (ii) increased voluntary fortification; (iii) simulated bread mandatory fortification; and (iv) simulated grains-and-rice mandatory fortification. Setting: Ethnically and socio-economically diverse cohort of pregnant women in New Zealand. Participants: Pregnant women (n 5664) whose children were born in 2009-2010. Results: Participants identified their ethnicity as European (56-0%), Asian (14-2%), Maori (13.2 %), Pacific (12-8%) or Others (3-8%). Bread, breakfast cereals and yeast spread were main food sources of DFE in the two voluntary fortification scenarios. However, for Asian women, green leafy vegetables, bread and breakfast cereals were main contributors of DFE in these scenarios. In descending order, proportions of different ethnic groups in the lowest tertile of DFE intake for the four fortification scenarios were: Asian (39-60%), Others (41-44 %), European (31-37%), Pacific (23-26%) and Maori (23-27 %). In comparisons within each ethnic group across scenarios of food fortification with folic acid, differences were observed only with DIE intake higher in the simulated grains-and-rice mandatory fortification v. other scenarios. Conclusions: If grain and rice fortification with folic acid was mandatory in New Zealand, DFE intakes would be more evenly distributed among pregnant women of different ethnicities, potentially reducing ethnic group differences in risk of lower folate intakes. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/15356-3 - Folic acid supplementation and the developmental origins of health and disease: a comparison between birth cohort studies in Brazil and New Zealand
• Grantee: Juliana Araujo Teixeira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate