Are You Getting Enough Nutrients? Find Out What 5 Billion People Are Missing

Are You Getting Enough Nutrients? Find Out What 5 Billion People Are Missing

Are you getting enough essential vitamins and minerals? Micronutrient deficiencies may be more common than you think and could be impacting your health.

A recent study in The Lancet estimates that more than half of the world’s population lacks essential nutrients in their diet. 

What the Study Found

Researchers analyzed data from 31 countries. Then, they used these patterns to estimate the intake of 15 important nutrients for different age and gender groups across 185 countries.

This ultimately helped them estimate how many people worldwide might lack these nutrients.

By their calculations, more than half of the global population doesn’t get enough of seven essential micronutrients.

Specifically, more than 5 billion people may not consume enough:

  • Iodine (68%)
  • Vitamin E (67%)
  • Calcium (66%)

And more than 4 billion people may not consume enough:

  • Iron (65%)
  • Riboflavin (55%)
  • Folate (54%)
  • Vitamin C (53%)

The study also looked at nutrient intake by gender. It proposed:

  • Women may be more likely to have higher deficiencies in iodine, vitamin B12, iron, and selenium than men.
  • Men might experience higher deficiencies in magnesium, vitamin B6, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin A, thiamin (B1), and niacin (B3) than women.

Why It Matters

The researchers note that these nutrient intakes are just estimates and they may have overestimated some deficiencies. But the study highlights a global public health concern. 

Even in developed countries, many people are lacking in at least one essential nutrient. 

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