Minerals

Mean daily intakes of iron from food sources were below the RNI for some age/sex groups, particularly girls aged 11 to 18 years where the mean intake reached only 57% of the RNI and women aged 19 to 64 years where the mean intake was 78% of the RNI. Dietary supplements made little difference to mean intakes for girls aged 11 to 18 years. For women aged 19 to 64 years, dietary supplements made a considerable difference to iron intakes bringing the mean intake of women in this group as a whole (including non-supplement takers) up from 78% to 91% of the RNI, although there was little change to the median intake, suggesting that those with higher intakes from food sources were taking these supplements.

Forty-six per cent of girls aged 11 to 18 years and 23% of women aged 19 to 64 years had iron intakes from food sources below the LRNI. Dietary supplements had little impact on these groups in terms of the proportions with intakes below the LRNI.

‘Cereals and cereal products’ was the largest contributor to iron intake for all age groups, with the contribution decreasing with age from 53-55% for children aged 10 years and under to 39%

for adults aged 19 years and over. Within ‘cereals and cereal products’, bread and fortified breakfast cereals were the main sources of iron intake. The other major contributors to iron intake were ‘meat and meat products’ which provided 18-21% of intake for children aged 11 to 18 years and adults, and less for younger children, and ‘vegetables and potatoes’ which

provided 17% of intake in adults and 12-14% in children.

(Table 5.33-5.35a and 5.39)

5.8.3.2 Calcium

Mean daily intakes of calcium from food sources were above the RNI for all age groups except those aged 11 to 18 years for whom intakes were 89% and 84% of the RNI for boys and girls respectively. Inclusion of intakes from dietary supplements made little difference to mean intakes as a percentage of the RNI.

Nineteen per cent of girls and 8% of boys aged 11 to 18 years had calcium intakes from food sources below the LRNI. Eight per cent of women aged 19 to 64 years also had intakes below the LRNI. The inclusion of supplements had no impact on these groups in terms of the

proportions with intakes below the LRNI.

‘Milk and milk products’ was the largest contributor to calcium intake for all age groups, with the contribution highest for children aged 1.5 to 3 years (61%) and 35-45% for other age groups. Of

‘milk and milk products’, milk was the main source for children aged 1.5 to 3 years while milk and cheese were the main sources for the other age groups. The second largest contributor was ‘cereals and cereal products’ with the contribution highest for children aged 11 to 18 years (37%) and lowest for children aged 1.5 to 3 years (24%).

(Table 5.33-5.35a and 5.40)

5.8.3.3 Magnesium

Mean daily intakes of magnesium from food sources were below the RNI for children aged 11 to 18 years (72% of RNI), adults aged 19 to 64 years (89% of RNI) and adults aged 65 years and over (87% of RNI). Inclusion of intakes from dietary supplements made little difference to mean intakes as a percentage of the RNI.

Forty per cent of children aged 11 to 18 years (28% of boys, 53% of girls), 14% of adults aged 19 to 64 years and 13% of adults aged 65 and over (19% of men, 8% of women) had

magnesium intakes from food sources below the LRNI. Dietary supplements had little impact on the proportion with intakes below the LRNI.

‘Cereals and cereal products’ was the largest contributor to magnesium intake for all age groups, providing 28-33%. ‘Milk and milk products’ contributed 27% to intake for children aged

1.5 to 3 years and less for the other age groups (10-17%). Across the age groups, ‘vegetables and potatoes’ contributed 12-16% and ‘meat and meat products’ 8-16% to magnesium intake.

(Table 5.33-5.35a and 5.41)

5.8.3.4 Sodium

Mean daily sodium intakes presented in this chapter underestimate total sodium intake from the diet as they include only sodium from food and do not include additional salt added in cooking or at the table by survey participants. More complete estimates of total sodium intake from the diet are derived from urinary sodium excretion data and are presented in Chapter 7.

‘Cereals and cereal products’ was the largest contributor to sodium intake from food for all age groups, providing 31-37%, of which 16-19% came from bread. ‘Meat and meat products’ was the second largest contributor for all age groups, providing 19-28% of sodium intake from food.

‘Milk and milk products’ contributed 18% for children aged 1.5 to 3 years and 8-11% for the other age groups.

(Table 5.42)

5.8.3.5 Potassium

Mean daily intakes of potassium from food sources were below the RNI for children aged 11 to 18 years (70% of RNI), adults aged 19 to 64 years (80% of RNI) and adults aged 65 years and over (81% of RNI). Inclusion of intakes from dietary supplements made little difference to mean intakes as a percentage of the RNI.

Twenty-five per cent of children aged 11 to 18 years (16% of boys, 33% of girls), 17% of adults aged 19 to 64 years (11% of men, 23% of women) and 14% of adults aged 65 years and over had potassium intakes from food sources below the LRNI. Dietary supplements had no impact on the proportions with intakes below the LRNI.

‘Vegetables and potatoes’ was the largest contributor to potassium intake for children aged 11 to 18 years and adults aged 19 years and over, providing 24-25%. ‘Milk and milk products’ was the major contributor to potassium intake for children aged 1.5 to 3 years, providing 31% of intake. For children aged 4 to 10 years, ‘vegetables and potatoes’, ‘milk and milk products’ and

‘cereals and cereal products’ provided similar proportions (18-21%) to potassium intake. ’Meat

and meat products’ contributed 9% of intake for the youngest age group and 13-18% for other age groups.

(Table 5.33-5.35a and 5.43)

5.8.3.6 Zinc

Mean daily intakes of zinc from food sources were close to or above the RNI for all age groups except those aged 11 to 18 years (90% and 81% of the RNI for boys and girls respectively).

Inclusion of intakes from dietary supplements made little difference to mean intakes as a percentage of the RNI.

Nine per cent of children aged 4 to 10 years (7% of boys, 11% of girls), 17% of children aged 11 to 18 years (12% of boys, 22% of girls) and 10% of men aged 65 and over had zinc intakes from food sources below the LRNI. Dietary supplements had little impact on the proportion with intakes below the LRNI.

‘Meat and meat products’ was the largest contributor to zinc intake for children aged 11 to 18 years and adults aged 19 years and over, providing 32-35%. ‘Milk and milk products’ was the major contributor to zinc intake for children aged 1.5 to 3 years, providing 36% of intake while

‘cereals and cereals products’ were the largest contributor for children aged 4 to 10 years (31%).

(Table 5.33-5.35a and 5.44)

5.8.3.7 Copper

Mean daily intakes of copper from food sources were below the RNI for women aged 19 to 64 years (86% of RNI) and women aged 65 years and over (90% of RNI). Inclusion of intakes from dietary supplements made little difference to mean intakes as a percentage of the RNI. There are no LRNIs set for copper.

‘Cereals and cereal products’ was the largest contributor to copper intake for all age groups, providing 31-43%. ‘Vegetables and potatoes’ contributed 11-15% and ‘meat and meat products’

12-17% of copper intake.

(Table 5.33-5.34a and 5.45)

5.8.3.8 Selenium

Mean daily intakes of selenium from food sources were below the RNI for children aged 11 to 18 years (74% of RNI), adults aged 19 to 64 years (71% of RNI) and adults aged 65 years and over (69% of RNI). The inclusion of intakes from supplements brought the mean intake of adults aged 65 years and over as a whole (including non-supplement takers) up from 69% to 77% of the RNI, although there was little change to the median intake, suggesting that those with higher intakes from food sources were taking these supplements. Dietary supplements made a smaller difference to mean selenium intakes as a percentage of the RNI for the other age groups.

Thirty-three per cent of children aged 11 to 18 years (22% of boys, 46% of girls), 38% of adults aged 19 to 64 years (26% of men, 51% of women) and 42% of adults aged 65 years and over (30% of men, 52% of women) had selenium intakes from food sources below the LRNI. Dietary supplements had little impact on the proportion of this group with intakes below the LRNI.

The main source of selenium for children aged 10 years and under was ‘cereals and cereal products’, providing 30-35% of intake. ‘Milk and milk products’ and ‘meat and meat products’

provided 20% each for the 1.5 to 3 years age group and 11% and 26% respectively for the 4 to 10 years age group. For all adults aged 19 years and over, the main source of selenium was

‘meat and meat products’, providing 28-32% of intake. For children aged 11 to 18 years, ‘meat and meat products’ and ‘cereals and cereal products’ provided similar proportions (33-34%).

‘Fish and fish dishes’ contributed 17-22% to selenium intake for adults and less for children (11-13%).

(Table 5.33-5.35a and 5.46)

5.8.3.9 Iodine

Mean daily intakes of iodine from food sources were close to or above the RNI for all age groups except girls aged 11 to 18 years (81% of RNI). The inclusion of intakes from dietary supplements had little impact on mean intakes as a percentage of the RNI.

Twenty-two per cent of girls and 9% of boys aged 11 to 18 years had iodine intakes from food sources below the LRNI. Ten per cent of women aged 19 to 64 years had intakes below the

LRNI. Dietary supplements had no impact on the proportions with intakes below the LRNI for these groups.

‘Milk and milk products’ was the largest contributor to iodine intake for all age groups, with the contribution highest for children aged 1.5 to 3 years (64%) decreasing to 33% for adults aged 19 to 64 years. ‘Cereals and cereal products’ provided 10-17% of iodine intake across the age groups. Adults derived 11-15% of their intake from ‘fish and fish dishes’ and 5-10% from

‘alcoholic beverages’.

(Table 5.33-5.35a and 5.47)