Influence of income on diet quality and daily iron and zinc intake: analysis of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of British females aged 11–14 and 15–18 years

Abstract

Purpose A negative socio-economic gradient exists for diet and health outcomes. Since cheaper diets are associated with increased energy and lower nutrient density, we investigated the influence of income on iron and zinc intakes and overall diet quality for adolescent (DQI-A) females aged 11–18 years. Methods National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS years 7 and 8) data for iron and zinc intake and overall diet quality was assessed by household income quintile across females aged 11–18 years. Results Equivalised household income positively correlated with Diet quality index for adolescents (DQI-A) (P < 0.001) Females aged 15–18 years in income quintiles (IQs) I and 2, had a greater proportion of respondents with low to intermediate DQI-A score compared to higher IQs (P = 0.002). NDNS data showed intake was negatively influenced by income amongst females aged 11–14 years for iron (P = 0.009) and zinc (P = 0.001) with those from the lowest incomes consistently consuming significantly less than those from the highest. DQI-A was positively correlated with iron intakes for 11–14 (P = 0.001) and 15–18 years (P < 0.001). Forty-one percent of 15–18-year-olds plasma ferritin stores were below the 15 µg L−1 and 21% had some form of anaemia. Cereal and cereal products were the greatest contributors to iron in all groups. Conclusion Females in the lowest income groups are at greater risk of lower overall diet quality and inadequate iron and zinc intakes. Amongst older adolescents, there is evidence of iron stores being depleted and an increased prevalence of anaemia.

Exploring the factors influencing nutritional literacy based on the socioecological model among patients with age-related macular degeneration: a qualitative study from China

“…Income can influence the quality of a person’s diet. 28 Currently, antivascular endothelial growth-factor therapy is the primary treatment for AMD, which is expensive and requires repeated injections. 29 Furthermore, AMD patients are usually over 45, and most of them are their families’ main breadwinners.…”

Teaching medical students about nutrition: from basic principles to practical strategies

“…Interprofessional working is essential for patient safety and outcomes, not to mention respecting the diverse roles of individuals that make up the healthcare team (27). The need for multi-disciplinary working is crucial given the high demand for supporting more diverse patient populations, such as those within communities at high risk of poor health and social outcomes (28)(29)(30), people being discharged from hospital (31), and older people living in residential care homes (32) . When considering the needs of groups at nutrition risk, aspects of socioeconomic inequalities should include the use of food banks and how this impacts individuals living with chronic disease.…”

Deep neural network for prediction of diet quality among doctors and nurses in North China during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Hashimoto et al found a positive association between education and diet quality and suggested that the diet quality score of high or middle education was higher than low education for both generations ( 14 ). Another study showed that diet quality differed by income level, and individuals in the lowest income groups were at greater risk of lower overall diet quality and inadequate nutrient intake ( 15 ). A systematic review has provided evidence for the effectiveness of health promotion interventions at the workplace on physical and mental health outcomes ( 16 ).…”