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HEALTH
STATUS > HEALTH BEHAVIORS NUTRITION The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department
of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recommend that Americans eat
a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages while staying within
their calorie needs. For most people, this means eating an assortment
of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat milk products
while limiting sugar, sodium, saturated and trans fats, cholesterol,
and alcohol.1 Two dietary nutrients that are especially
important to women are folate (or folic acid) and calcium. Folate
is a B vitamin that supports growth and development, prevents certain
birth defects and anemia during pregnancy, and may lower the risk
of heart disease and certain cancers. Calcium is the most abundant
mineral in the human body and is vitally important to bone health;
inadequate calcium intake can lead to osteoporosis, which may result
in painful fractures and disability.
Despite their importance, many women are not consuming enough folate
or calcium. In 1999-2002, only 19.9 percent of women consumed the
recommended amount of calcium through their diets (not including
supplements). One quarter of women ages 19 to 50 consumed 1000 mg/day,
the recommended amount for that age group; only 11.4 percent of
women ages 51 and older consumed the recommended 1200 mg/day. Non-Hispanic
White women were most likely to consume enough calcium (22.8 percent),
while non-Hispanic Black women were least likely (9.9 percent).Women
were much more likely to have an RBC (red blood cell) folate level
of at least 220 ng/ml, the amount set as a goal for the Nation in
Healthy People 2010. Overall, 73.9 percent of women had this folate
level, although this varied widely by age. Two-thirds of women ages
18 to 44 had RBC folate levels of at least 220 ng/ml, while 83 percent
of women ages 75 and older had the same. Non-Hispanic White women
were most likely to have a RBC folate level of at least 220 ng/ml
(79.4 percent), while non-Hispanic Black women were least likely
(47.2 percent).
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1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans,
2005. 6th edition, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office,
January 2005.
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Women’s Health USA 2005 is not copyrighted.
Readers are free to duplicate and use all or part of the information contained
on this page. Suggested Citation: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Health Resources and Services Administration. Women’s Health USA
2005. Rockville, Maryland: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
2005.
