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Table 4 Micronutrient intake (expressed as means ± SE and percentage consuming <2/3rd RDA) by gender (n = 3394)

From: Sex disparities in dietary intake across the lifespan: the case of Lebanon

 

Total

(n = 3394)

Males

(n = 1578)

Females

(n = 1816)

p-value*

Children and adolescents (6–19.9 years)

 Calcium (mg)

  Mean ± SE

593.67 ± 12.4

657.35 ± 17.65

529.98 ± 17.57

< 0.001

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

669 (77.3)

311 (71.2)

358 (83.6)

< 0.001

 Iron (mg)

  Mean ± SE

9.93 ± 0.21

11.05 ± 0.3

8.81 ± 0.3

< 0.001

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

315 (36.4)

108 (24.7)

207 (48.4)

< 0.001

 Zinc (mg)

  Mean ± SE

7.84 ± 0.15

8.88 ± 0.22

6.8 ± 0.21

< 0.001

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

230 (26.6)

87 (20)

143 (33.4)

< 0.001

 Vitamin A (RAE, μg)

  Mean ± SE

788.4 ± 68.91

931.87 ± 98.1

644.93 ± 97.63

0.039

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

478 (55.3)

238 (54.6)

240 (56.1)

0.660

 Vitamin C (mg)

  Mean ± SE

82.86 ± 2.43

87.14 ± 3.46

78.59 ± 3.45

0.082

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

226 (26.2)

108 (24.8)

118 (27.7)

0.329

 Vitamin B12 (μg)

  Mean ± SE

3.63 ± 0.35

4.58 ± 0.5

2.68 ± 0.5

0.008

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

309 (35.7)

130 (29.7)

179 (41.8)

< 0.001

Adults (20–59.9 years)

 Calcium (mg)

  Mean ± SE

603.48 ± 7.93

669.8 ± 13.02

537.16 ± 11.32

< 0.001

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

1392 (66.1)

525 (56.7)

867 (73.5)

< 0.001

 Iron (mg)

  Mean ± SE

10.68 ± 0.14

12.13 ± 0.23

9.23 ± 0.2

< 0.001

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

948 (45.0)

125 (13.5)

823 (69.8)

< 0.001

 Zinc (mg)

  Mean ± SE

8.8 ± 0.12

10.18 ± 0.2

7.41 ± 0.18

< 0.001

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

698 (33.2)

245 (26.5)

453 (38.4)

< 0.001

 Vitamin A (RAE, μg)

  Mean ± SE

842.36 ± 47.0

876.34 ± 77.18

808.37 ± 67.1

0.536

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

1339 (63.6)

608 (65.7)

731 (62.0)

0.084

 Vitamin C (mg)

  Mean ± SE

83.44 ± 1.56

91.84 ± 2.56

75.04 ± 2.22

< 0.001

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

850 (41.4)

383 (41.4)

467 (41.4)

0.972

 Vitamin B12 (μg)

  Mean ± SE

5.0 ± 0.37

5.85 ± 0.6

4.06 ± 0.53

0.038

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

908 (43.1)

327 (35.3)

581 (49.3)

< 0.001

Older adults (≥60 years)

 Calcium (mg)

  Mean ± SE

541.31 ± 14.52

567.81 ± 26.69

514.82 ± 27.15

0.243

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

336 (79.2)

162 (75.3)

174 (83.3)

0.045

 Iron (mg)

  Mean ± SE

9.22 ± 0.33

10.08 ± 0.6

8.36 ± 0.61

0.090

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

123 (29.0)

46 (21.4)

77 (36.8)

< 0.001

 Zinc (mg)

  Mean ± SE

7.41 ± 0.2

8.39 ± 0.37

6.42 ± 0.38

0.002

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

178 (42.0)

85 (39.5)

93 (44.5)

0.301

 Vitamin A (RAE, μg)

  Mean ± SE

641.17 ± 63.27

678.58 ± 116.36

603.77 ± 116.36

0.705

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

286 (67.5)

156 (72.6)

130 (62.2)

0.023

 Vitamin C (mg)

  Mean ± SE

77.75 ± 4.14

75.85 ± 7.61

79.65 ± 7.73

0.769

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

186 (45.1)

112 (52.1)

74 (37.6)

0.003

 Vitamin B12 (μg)

  Mean ± SE

3.57 ± 0.54

4.35 ± 1.0

2.79 ± 1.01

0.356

  Below 2/3rd RDA, n (%)

212 (50.0)

102 (47.4)

110 (52.6)

0.286

  1. Abbreviations:μg micrograms; mg milligrams; RAE Retinol Activity Equivalents; RDA Recommended Daily Allowance; SE standard error
  2. Values in this table represent mean ± SE for continuous variables and n (%) for categorical variables
  3. Means were adjusted for variables found to be significantly associated with gender, as per Table 1
  4. *p-values were obtained from comparison of adjusted means using ANCOVA for continuous variables and from chi square for categorical variables
  5. Bolded numbers are significant at p < 0.05