Preconceptional micronutrient adequacy among women in Greece: a prospective epidemiological study

Figures & data

Table 1. Maternal characteristics (N = 1100).

Characteristic	Result
Maternal age (years ± SD)	32.4 ± 4.9
Maternal age > 35 (N (%))	340 (30.9%)
BMI (kg/m^2)	22.9 (20.9–26.4)
Weight status^a
Overweight	371 (33.8%)
Obese	146 (13.2%)
Multiple pregnancy (N (%))	22 (2%)
Parity (N (%))
0	550 (50%)
1	420 (38.2%)
2	111 (10%)
3	17 (1.5%)
Smoking (N (%))	112 (10.2%)
Planned pregnancy (N (%))	934 (84.9%)
ART (N (%))	87 (7.9%)

Abbreviations. ART: Assisted reproductive technology; BMI: Body mass index; SD, Standard deviation.

^aAs per prepregnancy BMI.

Table 2. Mean consumption of each micronutrient, NAR for each micronutrient and results of the comparison of the mean with the presented refence values.

	Reference value	Consumption total, N = 1100^a	NAR total, N = 1100
Biotin (μg)	AI 40 μg/d	19.7 (14.9–26.2)*	0.49 (0.37–0.66)
Calcium (mg)	AI 750 mg/d	698.4 (526.5–901.7)*	0.93 (0.69–1.19)
Copper (mg)	AI 1.5 mg/d	1.56 (1.32–1.87)*	1.04 (0.88–1.24)
Iodine (μg)	AI 200 μg/d	92.4 (74.7–110.9)*	0.46 (0.37–0.55)
Iron (mg)	AR 7 mg/d	6.78 (5.76–8.03)**	0.97 (0.82–1.15)
Magnesium (mg)	AI 300 mg/d	186.9 (159–221.9)*	0.62 (0.53–0.74-
Manganese (mg)	AI 3 mg/d	1.57 (1.17–2.22)*	0.52 (0.39–0.74)
Niacin (eq) (mg)	AR 10 mg/d	16.2 (13.5–19.4)*	2 (1.73–2.37)
Pantothenic acid (mg)	AI 5 mg/d	3 (2.46–3.63)*	0.60 (0.49–0.73)
Phosphorus (mg)	AI 550 mg/d	806.8 (644.9–984.2)*	1.46 (1.17–1.79)
Potassium (mg)	AI 3,500 mg/d	1764.8 (1468.5–2108.8)*	0.50 (0.42–0.60)
Sodium (mg)	SFA 2,000 mg/d	2015 (1594.3–2455.08)***	1 (0.79–1.23)
Total Folic acid (μg)	AI 400 μg/d	144.7 (119.1–174)*	0.24 (0.20–0.29)
Vitamin A (μg)	AR 540 μg/d	803.2 (604.2–975)*	1.49 (0.9–1.8)
Vitamin B1 (mg)	AR 1 mg/d	0.5 (0.4–0.62)*	1.16 (0.93–1.36)
Vitamin B12 (μg)	AI 4.5 μg/d	3.14 (2.34–4)*	0.70 (0.52–0.89)
Vitamin B2 (mg)	AR 1.5 mg/d	0.80 (0.61–1.05)*	0.54 (0.41–0.70)
Vitamin B6 (mg)	AR 1.5 mg/d	0.99 (0.82–1.17)*	0.66 (0.55–0.78)
Vitamin C (mg)	AR 80, AR*** 115 mg/d	82.3 (63.8–101.8)*	1 (0.80–1.27)
Vitamin D (μg)	AI 15 μg/d	0.94(0.54–1.51)*	0.07 (0.04–0.10)
Vitamin E (eq) (mg)	AI 11 mg/d	8.96(7.14–11.25)*	0.82 (0.64–1.02)
Zinc (mg)	AR 7.5 mg/d	8.19(6.95–9.65)*	1.09 (0.93–1.29)
MAR (all nutrients)	0.93 (93%) (0.69–1.05)
MAR excluding high intake	0.78 (78%) (0.65–0.88)

Parametric data are given in mean ± SD, nonparametric data are presented in median (25th–75th percentile).

Abbreviations. AR, Average requirement; AI, Adequate intake; NAR, Nutrient adequacy ratio; MAR, Mean adequacy ratio.

^aWilcoxon signed rank test, level of significance p < ≤ .05.

*p < .001, **p = .10, ***p = .03; AR***: vitamin C recommendations for smokers.

Table 3. Results of the comparison of micronutrients’ NAR between different subgroups: aged ≤ 35 versus aged > 35, smokers versus nonsmokers and overweight and obese versus normal weight participants.

	Maternal age		Smoking		BMI
Nutrients	≤35 (n = 760, 69%)	>35 (n = 340, 30.9%)	Yes (n = 112, 10.2%)	No (n = 988, 89.8%)	Overweight (n = 371, 30.8%)	Obese (n = 146, 13.2%)
	The intake was higher among women ≤ 35	The intake was higher among women >35	The intake was higher among smokers	The intake was higher among nonsmokers	The intake was higher among overweight than normal weight	The intake was higher among obese than normal weight
Biotin		p = .001		p = .043	NS	NS
Calcium		p = .042	NS	NS	NS	p = .032
Copper	NS	NS	NS	NS	p = .008	p = .008
Iodine		p = .001	NS	NS	p = .001	p = .007
Magnesium		p = .009	NS	NS	NS	NS
Pantothenic Acid		p = .003	NS	NS	NS	NS
Potassium		p = .042	NS	NS	NS	NS
Phosphorus		p = .006	NS	NS	NS	NS
Total folic acid		p = .007	NS	NS	NS	NS
Vit A		p = .036	NS	NS	NS	NS
Vit B2	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	p = .021
Vit B12	NS	NS	p = .002		NS	NS
Vit C		p = .047		p < .001	NS	NS
Zinc	NS	NS	p = .028		p = .005	NS

Abbreviations. NS, Nonsignificant; NAR, Nutrient adequacy ratio.

Mann-Whitney Test, level of significance p ≤ .05.

Data availability statement

Due to ethical restrictions supporting data is not available.