Folate intake in a Swedish adult population: Food sources and predictive factors

Abstract

Introduction: Folate plays an important role in cell metabolism, but international studies show that intake is currently below recommendations, especially among women. The study objective was to identify folate food sources by food group, gender, and age group, and to identify factors influencing folate intake, based on food consumption data for Swedish adults in the 2010–11 Riksmaten study.Methods: The sample included a representative Swedish population aged 18–80 years (n = 1657; 56.3% female). Food and nutrient intakes were estimated from self-reported food records during 4 consecutive days. Food consumption was categorized into 26 food groups. Stepwise regression was used to analyze food groups as folate sources for participants. Factors predicting the highest folate intake (third tertile) were determined by logistic regression analysis.Results: Vegetables and pulses represented the most important folate source for all age groups and both genders, especially in women aged 45–64 years (49.7% of total folate intake). The next folate source in importance was dairy products for the youngest group (18–30 years), bread for men, and fruit and berries for women. The likelihood of being in the highest tertile of folate intake (odds ratio = 1.69, 95% confidence interval 1.354–2.104) was higher for men. Influencing factors for folate intake in the highest tertile were low body mass index and high educational level in the men, and high educational level, vegetarian diet, organic product consumption, non-smoking, and alcohol consumption within recommendations in the women.Conclusion: This study describes the folate intake per food group of Swedish adults according to the 2010–11 Riksmaten survey, identifying vegetables and pulses as the most important source. Data obtained on factors related to folate consumption may be useful for the development of specific nutrition education programs to increase the intake of this vitamin in high-risk groups.

Beverage consumption patterns and energy contribution from beverages per meal type: results from a national dietary survey in Sweden

“…Micronutrients in milk and juice v. energy contribution When considering the high folate content of some fruit juices, the consumption of juice certainly could contribute to the intake of folate, even though other foods have been shown to be more important as folate sources in Riksmaten 2010-11, such as pulses, vegetables and fruit (31) . There is some ambivalence concerning high juice intakes due to the relatively high content of natural sugars, but our results showed low intakes of juice in general.…”

“…In Norway it was recently shown that women and young age groups had a high consumption of bottled water ( 4 ) . Moreover, previous studies using Riksmaten 2010–11 data have pointed to the importance of beverages as nutrient sources, such as juice as a source of folate in Sweden and milk as an important source of several nutrients ( 5 , 31 ) .…”

Association between Intake of Total Dairy and Individual Dairy Foods and Markers of Folate, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 Status in the U.S. Population

“…Plasma vitamin B 12 status was associated with higher intakes of vitamin B 12 from dairy products in the Norwegian Hordaland Homocysteine Study [31]. Milk and dairy were major contributors of these B vitamins in Greek school children [32], Spanish children and adults [33], Swedish 18-30-year-old adults [34] and in the Polish population [35]. Intake of dairy products was linked to higher intakes of nutrients, including folate, vitamin B 6 and vitamin B 12, in participants of the Bogalusa Heart Study [36].…”

Cost-effectiveness of mandatory folic acid fortification of flours in prevention of neural tube defects: A systematic review

“…A prior review [ 5 ] presented evidence that FA consumption in the periconception period prevents NTDs occurrence or recurrence. Research shows that women of childbearing age do not obtain the daily FA recommendation (0.4 mg) from dietary foods alone [ 6 , 7 ].…”