Marginal vitamin and mineral intake of Costa Rican adolescents

BACKGROUND: Although a great deal of attention is given to macronutrient and energy intake in the diet, elements essential to dietary metabolic balance include important micronutrients. Very little information exists on vitamin and mineral intake during adolescence, especially in developing countries. METHODS: The micronutrient intake of urban and rural adolescents aged 12-19 years from the Costa Rican capital city, San José, was evaluated. Prospective 3-day diet records including 2 weekdays and 1 weekend day were used for dietary data. We evaluated the micronutrient intake to determine the nutrient adequacy ratio. RESULTS: Approximately 30% of adolescents did not meet the 70% level of the daily recommended intake (DRI) for vitamin Bl2. Additionally, 40% of the Costa Rican youngsters presented a vitamin A, E, and iron intake of between 30 and 69% of the DRI or recommended daily dose (RDA) for these nutrients. Likewise, approximately 15% of adolescents did not meet 30% of the DRI or RDA indicators for these nutrients. The micronutrients most at risk for inadequate intake were zinc, calcium, magnesium, and folate: more than 25% of the adolescents did not meet 50% of DRI or RDA indications for these micronutrients. Contrariwise, vitamin C, vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin were the nutrients less at risk for inadequate intake. Fast foods prepared in school cafeterias provided approximately 15-30% of the DRI for vitamins B1, B2, B6, Bl2, and niacin, approximately 18% of the RDA for iron, and over 40% of the RDA for vitamin E. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional interventions and educational strategies are needed to promote the adoption of healthful eating habits among adolescents.