Are We Deficient?

To answer this question, let's look at some official government figures in America
to see how the degraded foods that most people eat do not provide sufficient nutrients.
I would imagine that similar results could be found in other developed countries,
like Europe and Australia.

The Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HANES 1) studied 28,000 people,
from age 1 to 74, in sixty-five different areas throughout the United States.
HANES 1 examined people's diets, their blood nutrient levels and any malnutrition symptoms.
It found huge dietary deficiencies by using very conservative levels as a norm.

For example: nine out of ten women had iron deficiency in their diets (less than 18 mg).
One in every two women had calcium deficiency (less than 600 mg).
Iron deficiency in the blood was widespread in all age, sex, race and income groups,
despite the fact that white bread and cereals in America are "enriched" with iron.
overall, more than 60% of these people showed at least one symptom of malnutrition,
regardless off their income level.

The Ten State Nutritional Survey of 86,000 people found similar evidence.
In Michigan for example, more than half the men and women tested were deficient
in folic acid. In Texas and Washington one in every four men and one in every three
women were deficient in vitamin A. One in three persons in Southern California was
deficient in vitamin B2 (riboflavin).

These were very conservative figures of the values of the RDA's as representing
adequate nutrition. Nevertheless, about two thirds of these people were malnourished
even though the number of nutrients tested for deficiency was only a fifth of the
59 nutrients essential for optimal health.

A third government study showed similar results. The Nationwide Food Consumption Survey
of 15,000 households found that one household out of three ate diets deficient in
calcium and vitamin B6. One in five households ate diets deficient in iron and vitamin A.

A recent report from the USDA examined another 37,785 people. It analyzed intakes of only
11 of the essential nutrients. Results showed that the fast majority of subjects ate
less than the RDA for vitamin A and B6 and minerals, calcium, iron and magnesium.

It get worse with older people.A new study of older American by Dr. Jacob Selhub at the
USDA Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University, examined diet and blood levels
of just three nutrients: folate, vitamin B6 and B12. They found that 60% of these seniors
got insufficient folate to prevent high levels of homocysteine in their blood, a proven
risk factor for heart disease. The worst finding was that 80% of subjects were getting
the RDA for folate, but that level of intake was clearly insufficient to keep them healthy.

In an accompanying editorial to the study, published in the very conservative Journal of
the American Medical Association, Professors Meir Stampfer and Walter Willet of Harverd
University concluded: "a reasonable argument can be made for recommending…..
multi-vitamins for many individuals".

I can go on with many more studies with similar results, but I will not make it boring for you
with endless examples. The evidence we have reviewed should be sufficient to show
without a doubt that average people eating the average degraded American food are,
seriously sufficient in essential nutrients.

About the Author

Adrian Joele became interested in nutrition and weight management while he was an associate with a nutritional supplement company.
He has written several articles about nutrition and likes to share
his knowledge with anyone who could benefit from it.
There is no better way to find what is proven to be the best supplements on the market,by visiting:
www.on-nutrition.org

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