Thursday, January 29, 2009
Americans have failed to meet the RDA for several key nutrients, including calcium, vitamin E, vitamin B-6, magnesium, zinc, chromium, copper, and folic acid.[1] [2] Why is this? Is it because of poor dietary practices? This is certainly a major part of the reason. According to the USDA, only 10% of Americans actually have a “good diet.” The rest needs improvement. For example, only 17 percent of the people consumed the recommended number of servings of fruit per day. [3]
Other reasons are that our food supply may not always provide the level of nutrients that we hope or expect they will. For example, growing conditions, agricultural technologies and nutrient content of the soil can reduce nutrients in some crops by as much as 20%.[4] [5] [6] Likewise, food preparation and storage methods can decrease some nutrients by as much as 30%.[7]
Due to this inadequate intake of nutrients, in 2002 the Journal of the American Medical Association recommended that all American adults take vitamin supplements.[8]
Apparently, U.S. physicians are now helping to promote these recommendations. According to the recent "Life...supplemented" Healthcare Professionals (HCP) Impact Study[9], 79% of physicians recommend dietary supplements to their patients. The top five reasons for these recommendations are:
· Bone Health
· Overall health and wellness
· Joint health
· Heart health
· Maintain healthy cholesterol
In addition, 72% of the physicians surveyed use dietary supplements themselves. Specifically, 87% use a multivitamin, 78% use vitamin C, 63% use B vitamins, 59% use vitamin D, and 58% use vitamin E as well as calcium. Female physicians are more likely than male physicians to take single vitamins or mineral supplements, and male physicians are more likely to take fish oil (omega 3 fatty acids).
Perhaps this new trend of physicians recommending dietary supplements will help to reverse the old 1990s trend of only 9% of Americans seeking advice about dietary supplements from their physicians.[10]
References
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[1] Moshfegh AJ, Tippett KS, Borrud LG, Perloff BP. Food and Nutrient Intakes by Individuals in the United States, by Sex and Age, 1994-96. Agriculture Research Service; http://www.nalusda.gov/ttic/tektran/data/000009/29/0000092962.html.
[2] Werback M. The Great American Nutrient Gap. Nutrition Science News 1998.
[3] Report Card on the Quality of Americans’ Diets. Nutrition Insights, INSIGHT 28. USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. December 2002.
[4] Alpaslan M, Gunduz H. The effects of growing conditions on oil content, fatty acid composition and tocopherol content of some sunflower varieties produced in Turkey. Die Nahrung (Germany) 2000; 44(6):434-7.
[5] Barta DJ, Tibbitts TW, Barta DJ. Calcium localization and tipburn development in lettuce leaves during early enlargement. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 2000; 125(3):294-8
[6] Composition of Foods: Raw, Processed, Prepared. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 15. December 2002. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Nutrient Data Laboratory.
[7] Williams, PG. Vitamin retention in cook/chill and cook/hot-hold hospital food-services. J Am Diet Assoc 1996; 96:490-498.
[8] Fletcher RH, Fairfield KM. Vitamins for Chronic Disease Prevention in Adults. JAMA 2002; 287(23):3127-3129.
[9]Physicians Prescribe Prevention: Survey Reveals Top Five Reasons Physicians Recommend Dietary Supplements to their Patients. September 16, 2008. Life….supplemented™. Retrieved September 19, 2008 from http://www.lifesupplemented.org/articles/news/physicians_prescribe_prevention.htm.
[10] Johnston BA. One-Third of Nation’s Adults Use Herbal Remedies. HerbalGram 1997; 40:49.