engleski

Folate and calcium intake among university student population in Croatian mountain region

Inadequate calcium intake may result in weak bones, especially for women who have a greater risk of osteoporosis later in life. This point should be emphasized for young people who need to maximize their peak bone mass, so an ideal time for prevention of osteoporosis may be during the college years. Adequate folate intake in women of childbearing age can reduce the risk of serious birth defects, including neural tube defects. The aim of this study was to determine the average dietary folate and calcium intake among young people from mountain region, taking into account the importance of these two micronutrients in health. In the mountain region, milk and dairy products are traditionally present in a daily diet, which is not the case for the consumption of fruits and vegetables. The study included 321 university students both gender (50.2% females and 49.8% males), 19-25 years old, from Croatian mountain region. Validated food frequency questionnaires were used to assess an average folate and calcium intake. The average dietary folate intake was 239.8 μg DFE i.e. 60.0% DRI. The average dietary calcium intake was 1062.0 mg i.e. 106.2% DRI. The average dietary folate and calcium intake was not significantly different (p<0.05) according to gender. As was expected, the average daily calcium intake was in accordance with the recommended value, while the average daily folate intake was below recommended value. Higher intake of folate-rich foods should be advised to university students in Croatian mountain region.

folate; calcium; food frequency questionnaire; student population

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