Nutrition Research and Practice

The Korean Nutrition Society (한국영양학회)
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Determinants of neural tube defect (NTD)-protective circulating concentrations of folate in women of child-bearing age in the US post-folic acid fortification era

  • Piyathilake, Chandrika (Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham) ;
  • Eom, Sang Yong (Department of Preventive Medicine and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University) ;
  • Hyun, Taisun (Department of Food and Nutrition, Chungbuk National University) ;
  • Badiga, Suguna (Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham) ;
  • Robinson, Constance (Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham) ;
  • Rahman, Nuzhat (Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham) ;
  • Kim, Heon (Department of Preventive Medicine and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University) ;
  • Johanning, Gary L. (Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center)
  • Received : 2012.09.21
  • Accepted : 2013.06.03
  • Published : 2013.08.01
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Abstract

We evaluated folate status of child-bearing age women diagnosed with abnormal pap smear in the US post-folic acid (FA) fortification era and assessed the determinants of NTD-protective and supra-physiologic (SP) concentrations of folate. The distribution of 843 women according to NTD-protective concentrations of RBC folate, plasma folate and SP concentrations of plasma folate were tested in relation to demographic and life-style factors. Logistic regression models specified NTD-protective concentrations of RBC and plasma folate or SP concentrations of plasma folate as dependent variables and demographic and life-style factors as independent predictors of interest. More than 82% reached NTD-protective concentrations of RBC and plasma folate and ~30% reached SP concentrations of plasma folate. FA supplement use was associated with having SP concentrations of plasma folate rather than NTD-protective concentrations of folate. African American (AA) women and smokers were significantly less likely to achieve NTD-protective concentrations of RBC and plasma folate. A large majority of women reached NTD-protective concentrations of folate with the current level of FA fortification without using supplementary FA. Therefore, the remaining disparities in AA women and in smokers should be addressed by targeted individual improvements in folate intake.

Keywords

References

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