Evaluation of vitamin B₁₂ status in Egypt IV: Food consumption patterns among lactating mothers and their impact on the intake of the vitamin

Abstract

The adequacy of vitamin B₁₂ intake was assessed among 62 lactating mothers in the 2–32 weeks of lactation by an interactive 24-h recall and an open-ended food frequency questionnaire. Double portions of the foods consumed were sampled and assayed microbiologically for its vitamin B₁₂ content. Based on the food item and its respective vitamin B₁₂ content, combined with the usual portion size in grams and the frequency of consumption, a rapid calculator of approximate dietary vitamin B₁₂ intake was developed. The estimated vitamin B₁₂ intake averaged 4.17±0.74 µg/d. Only 25.8% of the lactating mothers had adequate vitamin B₁₂ intake (>2.5 µg vitamin B₁₂ daily). Three quarter of the studied population were consuming vitamin B₁₂<2.5 µg/d. Out of those, 50% had estimated daily intake <2.0 µg/d. This percentage prevalence confirms the additional burden on the lactating mothers to satisfy the daily vitamin B₁₂ requirement for its breast-fed baby.

• Dietary assessment of vitamin B₁₂ intake
• estimated intake of vitamin B₁₂
• lactating mother
• prevalence of deficiency
• rapid calculator
• vitamin B₁₂ content of food commodities