Consumption of foods with voluntary fortification of micronutrients in southern Brazil: prevalence and associated factors

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 17; no. 7; pp. 1555 - 1564
• Main Authors: Cirino, Ana Carolina Lima, de Vargas Zanini, Roberta, Gigante, Denise Petrucci
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-07-2014
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Ascorbic Acid - administration & dosage; Attitude to Health; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; Censuses; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet Surveys; Dietary minerals; Economics; Environment. Living conditions; Epidemiology; Feeding Behavior; Female; Food fortification; Food security; Food, Fortified; Households; Humans; Iron, Dietary - administration & dosage; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Micronutrients; Micronutrients - administration & dosage; Middle Aged; Population; Population studies; Prevalence; Processed foods; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Questionnaires; Sex Factors; Social Class; Socioeconomics; Statistical analysis; Surveys and Questionnaires; Thiamine - administration & dosage; Vitamins; Young Adult; Young adults; South America; Brazil; America; Fortified; Micronutrients; Cross-sectional studies; Foods; Consumption; Prevalence; South; Micronutrient; Volunteering; Cross sectional study; Risk factor; Supplementation; Food
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980013001857

To investigate the consumption of foods with voluntary fortification of vitamins and minerals (FVFVM) according to demographic, socio-economic and health characteristics.
A cross-sectional population-based study.
The investigated food groups were selected in two stages according to availability of food in the local market and prevalence of food consumption in a recent national survey. The research instruments included a questionnaire and a photographic catalogue. The FVFVM consumption covered a period of one week prior to the interview date. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 12·0 statistical software package, considering the design effect and a hierarchical model. A multinomial logistic regression was applied to estimate the prevalence ratios. All tests were two-tailed, with a 5·0 % significance level.
Adults (≥20 years old) living in a southern city of Brazil.
Between February and June 2012, 2925 individuals were interviewed. Losses and refusals corresponded to 13·4 % of the sample. The overall prevalence of FVFVM consumption was 73·3 (95 % CI 71·7, 75·9) %. The total number of FVFVM reported exhibited a distribution with a median of two and a maximum of fifteen, inflated by the FVFVM categorized in the 'juice' group. The micronutrients most consumed were vitamin C, followed by Fe and thiamin. Young adults, females, those of higher socio-economic status and those who perceived their health positively were more likely to consume FVFVM.
Prevalence of FVFVM consumption in southern Brazil, occurring concurrently with the decline in consumption of unprocessed and minimally processed foods, and the way voluntary fortification is being employed trigger a warning sign to primary prevention.