Lack of data on children’s nutrient intakes may hinder solving nutrition-related issues, EU study warns

31 Oct 2018 --- The lack of available data for child nutrient intake across parts of Europe could have concerning implications for the design and monitoring of nutritional policies across the EU, University of Leeds researchers have warned following a study that shows that only a third of European countries have robust reporting on child and adolescent nutrient intake.

The lack of reliable data may hinder approaches aimed at solving nutrient deficiencies or overconsumption, which is particularly worrying as the researchers also identified that many countries are falling short on the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended nutrient intakes for children.

“The lack of available data for child nutrient intake is concerning. It makes it extremely difficult to identify vulnerable groups, compare nutrient intakes between countries and provide evidence for policies that could improve health. It's similar to trying to describe a complex watercolor painting when large sections haven't been painted in yet,” says Holly Rippin, a postgraduate researcher from the School of Food Science and Nutrition and lead author of the study.

The study identified that:

• Only around 30 percent of countries reported nutrient intake data by gender and age group for children and adolescents.
• Age groupings varied across countries and several countries did not report nutrients in all age groups or reported on different types of nutrients.
• Many countries did not separate intake amounts for girls and boys in the youngest age groups.

“Our assessment also showed a significant amount of under-reporting, which means certain nutrition-related problems, such as deficiencies or overconsumption, could be underestimated and possibly just the tip of the iceberg,” she adds.

To improve data collection, the WHO encourages national governments to implement national dietary surveys, which are increasingly easy to collect with the introduction of new technologies.

“By conducting quality national dietary surveys yearly or every few years on a full range of nutrients important to health using standardized collection and reporting methods, countries can build up a bank of data that can be used to highlight nutritional issues and vulnerable groups and guide appropriate policy formation. New technologies, such as collecting data on mobile devices can help countries collect data more cheaply and easily,” Dr. Jayne Hutchinson, also from the School of Food Science and Nutrition at Leeds and co-author of the study, tells NutritionInsight.

Falling short of WHO recommended nutrient intakes
The team assessed the available data from the national diet surveys against nutrient intakes recommended by the WHO. Although limited, the data did convey that the average nutritional intakes of children in the majority of countries – including the UK – were not meeting the WHO recommended nutrient intakes. Nutrients lacking were iron, vitamin D, omega fats and folate while sodium and sugar were consumed at above-recommended levels.

“Our findings indicate that a Europe-wide policy focus could improve intakes of iron, vitamin D, and total folate while also reducing sodium and free sugar intake. A focus on iron and vitamin D intake would be especially beneficial for girls and children over the age of 10,” says Janet Cade, Professor of Nutritional Epidemiology and Public Health at Leeds and co-author.

“Iron is a particular issue for adolescent girls. The survey data showed low iron intakes in the vast majority of countries. Adolescent girls continue to be at greater risk of iron-deficiency anemia, which is associated with reduced intellectual and immune function,” she adds.

“Although a variety of evidence is required to inform national interventions, accurately identifying key dietary trends could help prevent childhood nutrient deficiencies that can cause health issues that extend well into adulthood,” she concludes.

By Laxmi Haigh