A Lancet study estimated that Indians are deficient in iron, calcium and folate

As assessed by a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal, people of all age groups in India, both men and women, are consuming adequate amounts of micronutrients critical to Health, including iron, calcium and folate.

According to an international team including researchers from Harvard University in the US, the study is the first to provide estimates of adequate consumption of 15 micronutrients in 185 countries, taken through food without the use of supplements.

Research indicates that around 70 percent or more than five billion people around the World do not consume enough iodine, vitamin E and calcium.

The researchers found that in one country and one age group, compared to men, more women had adequate intakes of iodine, vitamin B12 and iron, while more men had adequate intakes of magnesium, vitamin B6, zinc and vitamin C. For women.

In India, more women than men had adequate iodine intake, while more men than women had adequate zinc and magnesium intake, the team found.

Although analyzes have examined micronutrient deficiencies over the past 10 years, large data gaps remain for many micronutrients and population groups, the researchers said.

In this study, the authors used publicly available data from the Global Dietary Database to estimate the prevalence of adequate nutrient intake for 99.3 percent of the World‘s population.

Men and women aged 10-30 are particularly likely to have low calcium intakes in South Asia, Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the team said.

The authors said public Health professionals could use these findings to target populations in need of dietary intervention.

Because they don’t account for intake of fortified foods or supplements, the results may overestimate some key nutrients in specific areas where people consume high amounts of fortified foods and supplements.