Impact of water fortification with calcium on calcium intake in different countries: a simulation study

CORMICK, GABRIELA; CORMICK, GABRIELA; GIBBONS, LUZ; GIBBONS, LUZ; BELIZÁN, JOSE M; BELIZÁN, JOSE M

PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION.

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Año: 2020 p. 1 - 14

1368-9800

Objective: To simulate the impact ? effectiveness and safety ? of water fortification with different concentrations of Ca using the Intake Modelling, Assessment and Planning Program.Design: This is a secondary analysis of national or sub-national dietary intake databases.Setting and Participants: Uganda, Lao People?s Democratic Republic (PDR), Bangladesh, Zambia, Argentina, USA and Italy.Results: We found that for dietary databases assessed from low- and middle- income countries (LMIC), the strategy of fortifying water with 500 mg of Ca/l would decrease the prevalence of low Ca intake in all age groups. We also found that this strategy would be safe as no group would present a percentage of individuals exceeding the upper limit in >2%, except women aged 19?31years in Lao PDR, where 6·6 % of women in this group would exceed the upper limit of Ca intake. The same strategy would lead to some groups exceeding the upper limit in USA and Italy.Conclusions: We found that for most LMIC countries, water fortified with Ca could decrease the prevalence of Ca intake inadequacy without exceeding the upper levels of Ca intake.