Chen Kuan-Ju, Pan Wen-Harn, Lin Yi-Chin, Lin Bi-Fong
Department of Hospitality Management, Chung-Hwa University of Medical Technology, No 89, Wen-Hwa 1st St, Jen-Te Hsiang, Tainan 717, Taiwan, ROC.
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2011;20(2):275-82.
To investigate ten year trends in folate status in Taiwanese aged >=19 yrs by three Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) in 1993-1996, 1999-2000 and 2005-2008. Women had higher blood folate levels than men in all three surveys. The prevalence of folate deficiency (5.2% <3 ng/mL) and insufficiency (34.1% <=6 ng/mL) in men was highest in 2005-2008. Adults aged 19-30 yrs had the lowest blood levels and the highest prevalence of deficiency (8.1% in men; 3.5% in women) and insufficiency (48.6% in men; 25% in women) as compared to other age groups in 2005-2008. Folate insufficiency rate in those aged 31-44 yrs was twice as high in men and three times as high in women in 2005-2008 compared to 1993-1996. In the elderly, folate insufficiency rate (28%) in 2005-2008 was not higher than that of 1993-1996, although it was higher than that found in 1999-2000 (18.4%). Men aged >=80 yrs had the poorest folate status in 2005-2008, and men were twice as likely to have inadequate status as women. Plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels were higher in older men than older women in both surveys. The elderly had significantly higher plasma tHcy in 2005-2008 compared to the 1999-2000 survey. Dark green vegetables and fruit intake frequency in young adults (19-30 yrs) was the lowest among all age groups. This study suggests that folate status in Taiwan has not improved during the past fifteen years, and has worsened in the young population.
通过台湾三次营养与健康调查（NAHSIT，分别在1993 - 1996年、1999 - 2000年和2005 - 2008年），对19岁及以上台湾人群的叶酸状况进行十年趋势研究。在所有三次调查中，女性的血液叶酸水平均高于男性。男性叶酸缺乏（<3 ng/mL，患病率为5.2%）和不足（<=6 ng/mL，患病率为34.1%）的情况在2005 - 2008年最为严重。与其他年龄组相比，2005 - 2008年19 - 30岁的成年人血液叶酸水平最低，缺乏（男性为8.1%；女性为3.5%）和不足（男性为48.6%；女性为25%）的患病率最高。与1993 - 1996年相比，2005 - 2008年31 - 44岁人群中男性的叶酸不足率高出两倍，女性高出三倍。在老年人中，2005 - 2008年叶酸不足率（28%）虽高于1999 - 2000年（18.4%），但不高于1993 - 1996年。2005 - 2008年80岁及以上男性的叶酸状况最差，男性叶酸状况不足的可能性是女性的两倍。在两项调查中，老年男性的血浆同型半胱氨酸（Hcy）水平均高于老年女性。与1999 - 2000年调查相比，2005 - 2008年老年人的血浆总同型半胱氨酸水平显著升高。在所有年龄组中，年轻人（19 - 30岁）摄入深绿色蔬菜和水果的频率最低。本研究表明，台湾人群的叶酸状况在过去十五年中没有改善，且年轻人群的状况有所恶化。
