Table 5.
Proportion (%) of omnivore and vegetarian women of childbearing age (WCBA, 18–45 years) below vitamin B12 and folate intake cut-offs according to UK and EFSA dietary recommendations, combined NDNS 2008-2019. Results are shown as survey-weighted % (95% CI)
| Dietary recommendation cut-off | Omnivores % (95% CI) | Vegetarians % (95% CI) | p-valueᵃ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 -dietary intake | |||
| Dietary B12 intake < UK EAR (1.25 µg/day) | 3.3 (2.4–4.3) | 12.1 (3.3–21.0) | < 0.001 |
| Dietary B12 intake < UK RNI (1.5 µg/day) | 5.3 (4.0–6.5) | 21.8 (9.7–33.8) | < 0.001 |
| Dietary B12 intake < EFSA AI (4 µg/day) | 51.7 (49.0–54.5) | 78.2 (67.4–89.1) | < 0.001 |
| Vitamin B12 -total intake (diet + supplements)ᵇ | |||
| Total B12 intake < UK EAR (1.25 µg/day) | 2.8 (1.9–3.7) | 5.8 (− 0.1–11.6) | 0.182 |
| Total B12 intake < UK RNI (1.5 µg/day) | 4.7 (3.5–5.8) | 14.0 (3.3–24.6) | 0.008 |
| Total B12 intake < EFSA AI (4 µg/day) | 49.2 (46.4–51.9) | 65.9 (53.7–78.0) | 0.013 |
| Folate-dietary intake | |||
| Dietary folate intake < UK RNI (200 µg/day) | 51.7 (48.9–54.4) | 39.0 (25.7–52.2) | 0.072 |
| Dietary folate intake < EFSA AI (250 µg/day) | 74.5 (72.0–76.9) | 65.8 (53.8–77.8) | 0.137 |
| Folate - total intake (diet + supplements)ᵇ | |||
| Total folate intake < UK RNI (200 µg/day) | 47.0 (44.3–49.8) | 35.5 (22.2–48.8) | 0.110 |
| Total folate intake < EFSA AI (250 µg/day) | 68.0 (65.4–70.6) | 53.0 (40.1–65.9) | 0.018 |
ᵃP-values from chi-square tests comparing proportions below each cut-off between omnivores and vegetarians. Significant p-values (<0.05) are shown in bold red.
ᵇTotal intake includes dietary sources and supplements combined.
EAR: Estimated Average Requirement. RNI: Reference Nutrient Intake. EFSA AI: European Food Safety Authority Adequate Intake.
Negative lower CI limits for small subgroups (e.g., vegetarians below EAR) reflect small sample sizes and should be interpreted with caution.