Public health France publishes new results on the Esteban study 2014-2016

Jan 06, 2020
Sébastien Bouley

This study of the nutritional component of the Health Study on the Environment, Biomonitoring, Physical Activity and Nutrition (Esteban 2014-2016) was carried out on a sample of children from 6 to 17 years old and adults from 18 to 74 years old drawn by lot and living in metropolitan France. This study included a questionnaire survey, a food survey and a health examination with biological samples and assays.

The study report published in December 2019 communicates the results of biological samples. It provides an overview of the status of vitamin D, ferritin, serum folate, vitamin A, vitamin E and carotenoids of the population in 2015, as well as their changes since the french “Étude Nationale Nutrition Santé (ENNS)” from 2006-2007.
  • On vitamin D: 1 in 4 adults and 3 in 10 children reached an adequate vitamin D threshold. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency concerned almost 7% of adults and 4% of children and reached 13% in adolescents. If the situation has improved since 2006 in women, there is however an increase in the deficiency in men aged 55-74 years;
  • On the iron status: 20% of women of childbearing age showed depletion total iron stores, 7% had anemia and 4% suffered from largely untreated iron deficiency anemia. The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was more than 10% in girls 6-17 years old;
  • On folate status: the prevalence of the risk of serum folate deficiency was almost zero in adolescent girls (15-17 years old), but it has almost doubled in the last 10 years in adult women of reproductive age (18-49 years post menopausal), going from 7% in 2006 to 13% in 2015;
  • On vitamins A (retinol) and E (tocopherol): the prevalence of vitamin A and E deficiencies was almost zero in the French population, in 2015 as in 2006, regardless of the sex, age or level of education of individuals, while the mean serum concentration of the main carotenoids was higher in older, more highly educated adults.

To know more, you can consult the presentation of the study by Public Health France and download the full report of the Esteban study in french.

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