Calcium, fiber, iron, and sodium intake in adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and overweight and obesity.
Mary Hastert, Jeannine R Goetz, Debra K Sullivan and 3 others
PMID 34210641WHAT IT FOUND
Adolescents with intellectual disabilities and overweight consumed far too little fiber and too much sodium.
Iron intake was adequate, but calcium was low for younger teens. Dietary interventions should prioritize fiber-rich foods and sodium reduction.
Key findings
01Average fiber intake was 8.4g per 1,000 kilocalories, well below the recommended 14g, with only 15.6% of participants meeting the target.
02Average sodium intake was 3,180 mg/day, which is more than double the recommended adequate intake of 1,500 mg/day.
03Calcium intake did not meet the estimated average requirement for adolescents aged 14–18 years, though it was adequate for those older than 19.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study included only adolescents with overweight or obesity, so results do not apply to those with normal weight or underweight. The analysis used 3-day food records, which may not reflect habitual long-term dietary patterns. The study was not originally designed to measure micronutrient intake, which may limit the precision of the dietary assessment for this specific purpose. Group averages were compared against estimated average requirements, preventing individual-level adequacy analysis using recommended dietary allowances.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the NIH.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the group average calcium intake is adequate for younger teens. While the mean intake was close to the target, only about 57% of participants actually met the requirement, indicating the average was skewed by a few high consumers.