Vitamins and minerals for women: recent programs and intervention trials

Abstract

Women's nutrition has received little attention in nutrition programming, even though clinical trials and intervention trials have suggested that dietary improvement or supplementation with several nutrients may improve their health, especially in low-income settings, the main focus of this paper. Most attention so far has focused on how improvements in maternal nutrition can improve health outcomes for infants and young children. Adequate vitamin D and calcium nutrition throughout life may reduce the risk of osteoporosis, and calcium supplementation during pregnancy may reduce preeclampsia and low birth weight. To reduce neural tube defects, additional folic acid and possibly vitamin B12 need to be provided to non-deficient women before they know they are pregnant. This is best achieved by fortifying a staple food. It is unclear whether maternal vitamin A supplementation will lead to improved health outcomes for mother or child. Iron, iodine and zinc supplementation are widely needed for deficient women. Multimicronutrient supplementation (MMS) in place of the more common iron-folate supplements given in pregnancy in low-income countries may slightly increase birth weight, but its impact on neonatal mortality and other outcomes is unclear. More sustainable alternative approaches deserve greater research attention.

Comparison and evaluation of dietary quality between older and younger Mexican-American women

“…The present study compared the diet quality by evaluating nutrient intakes and the HEI-2010 scores of older and (42)(43)(44) . Findings indicated that a large proportion of both the older and younger women had an inadequate intake of various nutrients, including fibre, Ca, folate, vitamin C and vitamin E. This was also reflected by both groups having low scores for some individual components and a low total HEI-2010 score.…”

“…The interventions reported herein targeted women at two critical developmental transition times: the childbearing and midlife years ( Madres and Mujeres , respectively). The comparison of women in these two life stages provides important information regarding potential health risks derived from poor dietary quality and inadequate nutrient intake during developmental transitions at which life stressors and limited time availability may negatively influence health behaviours ( 42 – 44 ) .…”

Vitamin A supply to mothers and children

“…First, the problem of VAD is not restricted to most developing countries, where multiple nutrient deficiencies coexist. VAS should not be the only strategy implemented but efforts should be maintained to extend multiple nutrient supplementation strategies to reduce the risk of death [9,39]. Second, the strategy of large-scale VAS in populations at risk should be adapted with regard to area-specific dietary habits in each country.…”

Dietary Supplement Use among a Population of University Students in Italy: Correlations with BMI, Dietary Habits and Sport Activities

“…Both in USA and Europe the consumption is higher in women than in men [9]. The prevalence of supplement consumption increases in specific target subpopulations such as the elderly, those affected by particular diseases, pregnant women and those involved in sports [5,[10][11][12][13]. Several epidemiological studies correlates supplement use with people with higher socioeconomic status, healthier lifestyle habits, higher education level and lower BMI [14][15][16].…”