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BACKGROUND: Zinc-biofortified potatoes have considerable potential to reduce zinc deficiency because of their low levels of phytate, an inhibitor of zinc absorption, and their high consumption, especially in the Andean region of Peru. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to measure fractional and total zinc absorption from a test meal of biofortified compared with regular potatoes. METHODS: We undertook a single-blinded randomized crossover study (using 67Zn and 70Zn stable isotopes) in which 37 women consumed 500-g biofortified or regular potatoes twice a day. Urine samples were collected to determine fractional and total zinc absorption. RESULTS: The zinc content of the biofortified potato and regular potato was 0.48 (standard deviation [SD]: 0.02) and 0.32 (SD: 0.03) mg/100 g fresh weight, respectively. Mean fractional zinc absorption (FZA) from the biofortified potatoes was lower than from the regular potatoes, 20.8% (SD: 5.4%) and 25.5% (SD: 7.0%), respectively (P < 0.01). However, total zinc absorbed was significantly higher (0.49; SD: 0.13 and 0.40; SD: 0.11 mg/500 g, P < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that biofortified potatoes provide more absorbable zinc than regular potatoes. Zinc-biofortified potatoes could contribute toward reducing zinc deficiency in populations where potatoes are a staple food. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05154500.

Background: Latin American countries have shifted from traditional diets rich in micronutrients to a Westernized diet rich in high energy-dense foods and low in micronutrients. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of adequate micronutrient intakes in urban populations of 8 Latin American countries. Method: Micronutrient dietary intake data were collected from September 2014 to August 2015 from 9216 men and women aged 15.0 to 65.0 years living in urban populations of 8 Latin American countries. Dietary intake was collected using two 24-hour recalls on nonconsecutive days. Micronutrient adequacy of intake was calculated using the Estimated Average Requirement cut-off method. Results: In general terms, the prevalence of inadequate intake of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, cobalamin, iron, phosphorus, copper, and selenium ranged from 0.4% to 9.9%. In contrast, the prevalence of inadequacy of pyridoxine, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin A ranged from 15.7% to 51.5%. The nutrients with a critical prevalence of inadequacy were magnesium (80.5%), calcium (85.7%), and vitamin D (98.2%). The highest prevalence of inadequate intakes was observed in the low educational level, participants with overweight/obesity, in men, and varies according to socioeconomic status. Conclusions: There is an urgent need to define direct regional actions and strategies in Latin America aimed at improving micronutrient adequacy, either through staple food fortification programs, agronomic biofortification, or food policies that facilitate economic access to micronutrient-rich foods. Plain language title: Description of the Vitamin and Mineral Consumption Status in Urban Cities of Latin America: Results of the Latin American Health and Nutrition Study. Plain language summary: Vitamins and minerals are essential for maintaining good health. However, traditional Latin American diets are changing to include foods that have a lot of sugar and fat but fewer vitamins and minerals. This study was designed to analyze the consumption of these nutrients in urban cities of 8 Latin American countries. We collected food consumption information from September 2014 to August 2015 from 9216 men and women between 15 and 65 years old using a method called 24-hour recall. To find out if participants were consuming the necessary daily amounts of vitamins and minerals, intakes were compared with the daily recommended amounts suggested by the Institutes of Medicine of the United States. We found that Latin American urban populations consume fewer vitamins and minerals than recommended. In some cases, few people do not consume the required amounts of vitamins and minerals, but in other cases, many do not. For example, few do not consume enough thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, cobalamin, iron, phosphorus, copper, and selenium. However an intermediate number of people do not consume enough pyridoxine and zinc, a high number consume little vitamin C and vitamin A, and many people consume very little magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D. We found that the people who consume fewer vitamins and minerals are mostly males, overweight/obese, have lower education and varies according to their financial resources. A deficient intake of vitamins and minerals showed up in most age groups, from adolescence to adulthood. To improve vitamins and minerals intake, it is important that some foods that are frequently eaten are fortified or that the price of foods that are high in vitamins and minerals is lowered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia de doble carga de malnutrición (DCM) individual en niños <5 años y en la díada madre/niño en Perú. Métodos: análisis secundario de datos correspondientes a la Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud Familiar (ENDES), Perú, 2016. La población estuvo conformada por niños y niñas de 6-59 meses y sus madres de 15-49 años. La DCM en el niño se definió como aquel individuo que presenta anemia y/o retardo del crecimiento y, a su vez, tiene sobrepeso u obesidad. La DCM en la díada madre-niño se definió cuando se encontró: i) niño con anemia y/o retardo del crecimiento y madre con sobrepeso u obesidad; o ii) niño con sobrepeso u obesidad y madre con anemia y/o talla baja. Se calcularon las prevalencias de DCM y sus intervalos de confianza al 95% considerando el diseño complejo de la muestra. Resultados: Se analizaron 18012 niños y 17853 díadas madre-niño. El 51,7% de los niños fueron varones con un promedio de edad de 32,5+15,4 meses. El promedio de edad de las madres fue de 30,4+6,9 años. La prevalencia de DCM individual infantil fue de 1,99% [IC 95%: 1,71 a 2,27]. Mientras tanto, en la díada i) malnutrición por déficit en el niño y por exceso en la madre, la prevalencia fue de 24,6% [IC 95%: 23,7 a 25,5], resaltando la variante de niño anémico y madre con sobrepeso u obesidad con una prevalencia de 17,6% [IC 95%: 16,8 a 18,3]; y ii) malnutrición por exceso en el niño y por déficit en la madre presentó una prevalencia de 2,0% [IC 95%:17,0 a 23,0]. Conclusiones: En el Perú, en una de cada cuatro díadas madre-niño, se presenta DCM por desnutrición en el niño y por sobrenutrición en la madre; siendo a su vez, la coexistencia de niño anémico y madre con sobrepeso u obesidad la forma más prevalente de esta paradoja de malnutrición. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]