Hidden Hunger: Study Highlights Commonly Missing Micronutrients in People with Type 2 Diabetes
Micronutrient deficiency, whereby levels of vitamins and minerals essential for healthy bodily function are far too low, is common in people with type 2 diabetes, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in the open access journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.
A lack of vitamin D is the most common ‘missing’ micronutrient, overall, the findings indicate, with women at greater risk than men of these deficiencies, dubbed 'hidden hunger.'
In a bid to try and quantify the global prevalence of micronutrient deficiency in people with the condition, the researchers scoured research databases for relevant studies, with the aim of pooling the data.
Their analysis included 132 studies, involving 52,501 participants, and published in several languages between 1998 and 2023.
The pooled data analysis showed that the prevalence of micronutrient deficiency (vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes) among people with type 2 diabetes varied around the world, possibly because of diverse dietary habits, lifestyle choices, and cultural practices, suggest the researchers.
But, overall, the global prevalence was 45%---40% in those with complications of their disease.
A very low level of vitamin D was the most common micronutrient deficiency, affecting 60.5% of those with type 2 diabetes. But magnesium deficiency was also common, affecting 42%, while the prevalence of iron deficiency was 28%. The global prevalence of B12 deficiency was 29%, and higher, still, among patients taking metformin.
Further stratification of the pooled data showed that prevalence was higher in women with the condition than in men at nearly 49%, and highest among patients in the Americas (54%).
Reference:https://bmjgroup.com/lack-of-essential-vitamins-and-minerals-common-in-people-with-type-2 diabetes/#:~:text=A%20very%20low%20level%20of,of%20iron%20deficiency%20was%2028%25
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