[Folic acid ingestion and associated factors in adult women 15-44 years of age in the Valencian Community].
BACKGROUND
A low folic acid (FA) intake may increase the risk of neural tube defects (NTD). We estimated the proportion of women with a FA intake < 400 micrograms/day, at the Valencian Region, exploring those factors associated with a FA intake < 400 micrograms/day.


METHODS
Daily FA intake was estimated for 538 women aged 15 to 44 years participants in the Nutrition Survey of Valencian Region in 1994, and factors associated with an intake lower than 400 micrograms/day were analyzed.


RESULTS
The average FA intake was 392 micrograms/day. A 57.6% of women presented a low FA intake. A higher prevalence of low FA intake was found among youngest women with low sports practice, low body mass index and early menarche.


CONCLUSIONS
A high proportion of women with a FA intake considered at risk for NTD was observed, particularly among the youngest with low sports practice.
Vioque
J
J
Departamento de Salud Pública, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante. vioque@umh.es
Quiles
J
J
García de la Hera
M
M
Guillén
M
M
Ponce
E
E
Muñoz
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D013030:Spain
D005492:Folic Acid