Table 2.

Dietary folate intake of reproductive-age New Zealand women (n 125) and comparisons with the Australian and New Zealand EAR as a cut-off point for assessing nutrient adequacy^*

	Voluntary bread fortification, 2008		Increased voluntary bread fortification, 2011				Mandatory bread fortification, as proposed
	Unadjusted median	IQR	Unadjusted median	IQR	Absolute change†	% Change	Unadjusted median	IQR	Absolute change‡	% Change
Dietary folate intake*
Folic acid (μg/d)	46a	8–97	56b	22–133	+10	22	135c	64–201	+89	193
% above 100 μg/d	24		35						63
% above 200 μg/d	4		6						27
	Adjusted median	IQR	Adjusted median	IQR			Adjusted median	IQR
Natural folate (μg/d)	261	211–323	261	211–323	–	–	261	211–323	–	–
DFE (μg/d)	362a	282–461	394b	307–501	+32	9	535c	438–642	+173	48
% below EAR of 320 μg/d	37		29						5

EAR, Estimated Average Requirement; IQR, interquartile range; DFE, dietary folate equivalents.

^a,b,c Median values within a row with unlike subscript letters were significantly different (P < 0·05, Bonferroni-adjusted).

^*Folic acid is reported as unadjusted median and interquartile range; natural folate and DFE values are expressed as the usual (adjusted) median and interquartile range.

^†Absolute change from voluntary bread fortification prior to 2009 to increased voluntary bread fortification in 2011.

^‡Absolute change from voluntary bread fortification prior to 2009 to mandatory fortification as proposed.