Global estimation of dietary micronutrient inadequacies: a modelling analysis

This study constitutes the first comprehensive global analysis estimating the prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intakes using dietary intake data instead of food supply data. The analysis adopts a novel approach that accounts for the shape of a population's nutrient intake distribution, based on dietary intake data from 31 countries. Using a globally harmonized set of age-specific and sex-specific nutrient requirements, the study applied these distributions to Global Dietary Database data to estimate the prevalence of inadequate intakes of 15 essential micronutrients for 34 age-sex groups across 185 countries. Results reveal that more than 5 billion people globally do not consume enough iodine, vitamin E, and calcium, while more than 4 billion have inadequate iron, riboflavin, folate, and vitamin C intake. The study identifies considerable sex-based differences in micronutrient inadequacies and provides a solid scientific foundation for targeted public health interventions.