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Topical Area: Nutrition Translation and Communications

Nutrition Translation and Communications (Poster Session)

(P09-005-23) Vitamin B12 Intake Status of Koreans Estimated Using Real-Time Food Analysis Data in a Total Diet Study

Saturday, July 22, 2023
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET
Location: Poster Board 73

    Presenting Author(s)

  • CK

    Cho-il Kim, Ph.D (she/her/hers)

    Visiting Professor
    Department of Food and Nutrition, Seoul National University
    Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea

    • Co-Author(s)

  • SK

    Sung Ok Kwon

    Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University

  • JL

    Jee Yeon Lee, Master

    Korea Health Industry Development Institute
    Cheongju-si, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Republic of Korea

  • MS

    Min Jeong Seo

    Korea Research Institute of Analytical Technology

  • GL

    Gae Ho Lee

    Korea Research Institute of Analytical Technology

Disclosure(s):
Cho-il Kim, Ph.D: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Vitamin B12 (VB12) is a B vitamin that has an important role in cellular metabolism, especially in DNA synthesis, methylation and mitochondrial metabolism. Although the prevalence of VB12 deficiency increases with age, as well as with vegetarian diet, there has been no official report on VB12 adequacy of Koreans. In total diet studies (TDS), levels of the analytes are determined in foods as they would be consumed (table-ready). This is particularly important for estimating dietary intake of nutrients, level of which may change as a result of preparation. Hence, we attempted to estimate the dietary VB12 intake of Koreans based on the real-time food analysis data in TDS and corresponding food intake based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES).

Methods: We merged dietary data of 5 years from KNHANES 2016-2020 to establish a nationwide & representative food intake data set. Based on the type of dishes (prepared foods) consumed, 241 pairs of ‘ingredient food X cooking method’ were identified covering 93.6% of total food intake of Koreans. Foods prepared accordingly were subject to VB12 analysis using LC–MS/MS.

Results: High VB12 content was detected in seaweeds in addition to well-known sources of animal foods. Mean VB12 intake of Koreans was 2.99 µg/person/day (all), 3.46 µg/person/day (male), and 2.53 µg/person/day (female). Major food groups contributing to VB12 intake were fishes & shellfishes (43.4%), meats & their products (23.9%), seaweeds (12.7%), and eggs (11.9%). More than half of VB12 intake was from 5 foods with dried laver (12.1%) on top. Overall, 48.6% of the population showed VB12 inadequacy (intake < EAR) and the prevalence was higher in females (55.1% vs 42.1% in males) with the highest in elderly women (73.0%), possibly due to their low consumption of animal foods. Mean VB12 intake of people without consumption of fishes & shellfishes and meats & their products was 0.86 µg/person/day.

Conclusions: This study presented a closer-to-real estimate of VB12 intake of Koreans for the first time and revealed that the female elderly population is at risk of low VB12 intake. Further research is warranted for the vegan population’s VB12 adequacy.

Funding Sources: This research was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (20220204691-00, Korean Total Diet Study).