21st National Nutrient Databank Conference Poster Abstracts Poster 1- Category:databases in Epidemiological Studies Folate Fortification of Bread and Grains: Intake of the Elderly Is Affected by Food Sources of Folate

POSTER 1CATEGORY:DATABASES IN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES FOLATE FORTIFICATION OF BREAD AND GRAINS: INTAKE OF THE ELDERLY IS AFFECTED BY FOOD SOURCES OF FOLATE. K.M. Koehler, S.L. Pareo-Tubbeh, L.J. Romero, R.N. Baumgartner, P.J. Garry, Univ. of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM. Folate fortification of breads & grains will be implemented to prevent neural tube birth defects. This could be a risk for the elderly by masking possible vitamin B-12 deficiency or a benefit by improving folate status & preventing elevated serum homocysteine, a vascular disease risk factor. The purpose of this study was 1) to examine folate food sources in the elderly, 2) to project the effect of fortification on mean folate intake. Subjects were 118 men & 190 women, volunteers, age 65-94y. A food frequency, the Health Habits & History Questionnaire (HHHQ), was interviewer administered and analyzed using VEGADJ & FRUITADJ options for each food item, mean folate intake was computed and items were ranked as folate sources. Effects of proposed regulations were estimated by increasing folate levels per 100g of bread & grains in the ranked folate sources. Mean folate intake from food was 299.6+5.8 (μg/d(SEM). Foods providing 60% of folate were orange juice 15%, bran cereal 10%, highly-fortified cereal 8%, other cereal 7%, salad 6%, dark bread 5%, beans 3%, broccoli 3%, white bread 2.3%. Folate contributions of food groups were: breakfast cereals 26%, vegetables 23%, fruits 21%, refined breads & cereals 6.7%. Mean folate intake would increase 16.5% with fortification of white bread/grains. For NHANES II adults, age 19-74, white bread ranked higher and breakfast cereals lower as folate sources. Mean intake would increase 28.3% from fortification of breads/grains. A fortification policy can have different effects in population groups with different food sources. Supported by NIH AG-02049, AG-11049