More than half of people aren't consuming enough of some key nutrients People aren’t getting enough calcium, iron, iodine, and vitamins C and E Children and young adults are most likely to have low calcium intake FRIDAY, Aug. 30, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- More than half of people around the world aren’t getting enough micronutrients essential to human health, including calcium, iron and vitamins C and E, a new study says. These deficiencies are contributing to global malnutrition, as well as health problems like blindness, increased vulnerability to infections, and pregnancy complications, researchers said in The Lancet Global Health .
“These results are alarming,” researcher Ty Beal , a senior technical specialist at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, said in a news release. “Most people — even more than previously thought, across all regions and countries of all incomes — are not consuming enough of multiple essential micronutrients,” Beal said. “These gaps compromise health outcomes and limit human potential on a global scale.
” For the study, researchers combined data from several sources to compare the nutritional intake of people in 185 countries. The team specifically assessed intake of 15 vitamins and minerals -- calcium, iodine, iron, riboflavin, folate, zinc, magnesium, selenium, thiamin, niacin, and vitamins A, B6 , B12, C and E. Researchers found widespread inadequate intake of iodine (68% of the world's population); vitamin E (67%); cal.