Dietary iron bioavailability: A simple model that can be used to derive country-specific dietary reference values for adult men and women

Fairweather-Tait, Susan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1413-5569, Speich, Cornelia, Mitchikpe, Comian Evariste and Dainty, Jack ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0056-1233 (2020) Dietary iron bioavailability: A simple model that can be used to derive country-specific dietary reference values for adult men and women. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 41 (1). pp. 121-130. ISSN 1564-8265

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Abstract

Background: Reference intakes for iron are derived from physiological requirements, with an assumed value for dietary iron absorption. A new approach to estimate iron bioavailability, calculated from iron intake, status, and requirements was used to set European dietary reference values, but the values obtained cannot be used for low- and middle-income countries where diets are very different. Objective: We aimed to test the feasibility of using the model developed from United Kingdom and Irish data to derive a value for dietary iron bioavailability in an African country, using data collected from women of child-bearing age in Benin. We also compared the effect of using estimates of iron losses made in the 1960s with more recent data for whole body iron losses. Methods: Dietary iron intake and serum ferritin (SF), together with physiological requirements of iron, were entered into the predictive model to estimate percentage iron absorption from the diet at different levels of iron status. Results: The results obtained from the 2 different methods for calculating physiological iron requirements were similar, except at low SF concentrations. At a SF value of 30 µg/L predicted iron absorption from the African maize-based diet was 6%, compared with 18% from a Western diet, and it remained low until the SF fell below 25 µg/L. Conclusions: We used the model to estimate percentage dietary iron absorption in 30 Beninese women. The predicted values agreed with results from earlier single meal isotope studies; therefore, we conclude that the model has potential for estimating dietary iron bioavailability in men and nonpregnant women consuming different diets in other countries.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: absorption,children,stable-isotope,tool,zinc,dietary iron bioavailability,dietary reference values,iron absorption,low-income countries
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Musculoskeletal Medicine
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Norwich Institute for Healthy Aging
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Nutrition and Preventive Medicine
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Lifespan Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 14 Oct 2019 11:30
Last Modified: 06 Jun 2024 15:08
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/72561
DOI: 10.1177/0379572119885482

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