Food Insecurity Linked to High Rates of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

by | Feb 14, 2024 | 2024, Nutrition and Dieting, Nutritional Deficiencies, Vitamin B12

Written by Taylor Woosley, Science Writer. Subjects experiencing food insecurity had a nearly twofold likelihood of inadequate intake of B12 (p = 0.001) compared to those who were food secure.

vitamins B12Growing evidence reveals food insecurity (FI) to be a risk factor for poor health across the life course1. It is estimated that around two billion people do not have regular access to a nutritious and sufficient food supply2. FI can be characterized by food deprivation, lack of essential nutrition, lack of dietary education, poor absorption, and poor overall nutrition3.

Vitamin B12 is an essential water-soluble micronutrient that is naturally found in animal food products, including meat, poultry, shellfish, eggs, milk, and other dairy products4. It plays an important role in DNA methylation and the homeostasis of amino acids and lipids through regulation of one-carbon metabolism5. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia, homocysteinemia, and other conditions associated with reduced cellular energy metabolism and DNA synthesis6.

Hoteit et al. conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the prevalence of inadequate intake of B12 food sources and the low levels of serum B12 among a nationally representative sample of Lebanese adults experiencing food insecurity. Subject inclusion consisted of being of Lebanese nationality and being aged 18 to 64 years. A pre-tested questionnaire was completed by participants and included information regarding demographic and socioeconomic data, medical history, completion of the Arab Family Food Security Scale (AFFSS), and the Food Consumption Score (FCS) to assess food security and the number of individual foods consumed. Participants also completed a 157-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Then, weight and height measurements were taken, and blood samples were obtained to assess complete blood count (CBC) and serum B12 levels.

Serum B12 levels were categorized as: normal (>300 pg/mL or 221.4 pmol/L), intermediate (200-300 pg/mL or 147.6-221.4 pmol/L), and low serum levels (<200 pg/mL or <147.6 pmol/L). A chi-squared test, student’s t-test, and one-way ANOVA for the bivariate analysis were utilized to compare differences between groups. 444 subjects were included in the final analysis. 58.8% were female and the mean age ± SD of study participants was 34.1 ± 12.7. 33.8% had a normal BMI and 61.9% were overweight, with one-quarter of subjects having one or more chronic diseases. Significant findings of the study are as follows:

  • 3% of households were food-insecure, with 30.6% being moderate, and 16.7% experiencing severe FI.
  • Mean B12 intakes and serum levels of subjects were 2.9 ± 2.5 µg/d and 297.3 pg/mL, respectively. Vitamin B12 intake was significantly higher in men compared to women (p < 0.001). 68.6% of deficient participants were female (p = 0.035).
  • Over 65% of subjects experiencing FI had inadequate B12 intake and had low serum B12 levels, with p = 0.00 and p = 0.06, respectively.

Results of the cross-sectional study show that Lebanese adults experiencing food insecurity had substantially lower serum levels of vitamin B12 compared to those who were food secure. Additionally, female subjects were more likely to have lower B12 intake compared to men. Further research should continue to explore the negative impact of food insecurity on nutrient levels of subjects.

Source: Hoteit, Maha, Razan Khadra, Zahraa Fadlallah, Youmna Mourad, Mohamad Chahine, Farouk Skaiki, Elham Al Manasfi, Abdulrahman Chahine, Omasyarifa Binti Jamal Poh, and Nikolaos Tzenios. “Prevalence and Time Trends of Low Serum B12 Levels and Inadequate B12 Dietary Intake in Lebanese Adults amidst the Food Insecurity Situation: Findings from a Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study.” Nutrients 16, no. 2 (2024): 226.

© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
4.0/).

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Posted February 13, 2024.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

References:

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