Iron Bioavailability in Thai Diets
NAIYANA BOONTAVEEYUWAT, Ph.D.*, KARUNEE KWANBUNJAN, Dr.orc.troph. **,
UTOOMPORN SITTISINGH, MCN.***, WASUNTHAREE SAEREESUCHART, M.A.***,
SIRIPORN CHITPLEE, MPS.***, SRIWATANA SONGCHITSOMBOON, D.Sc.****
Affiliation : * Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400,
** Department of Tropical Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok
10400,
*** Nutrition Division, Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, Nontaburi 11000,
**** Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
AbstractDietary low iron bioavailability intake is an important causation factor of iron deficiency
anemia in Asian countries including Thailand. The aim of this study was to estimate the iron bio
availability in the Thai diet by a calculation method that is based on dependent factors, dietary
components and physiological iron store. Based on the the latest national nutrition survey of the Thai
diet, 1995, the data of nutrient intake per capita per day by region were used for calculating the
iron bioavailability at physiological iron store levels; 0, 250, 500 and 1,000 mg of iron. The results
showed that the diets consumed by the populations in the Central, North, Northeast and South of
Thailand were classified under the calculation method as being of moderate nonheme iron availabi
lity. The per cent iron bioavailability values of the Thai diets were within the range 3.7-12.4 per
cent of total iron, depending on physiological iron store. The values of all region Thai diets at each
iron store level were similar. By the same method, the dietary iron bioavailability of the total Thai
diet at any iron store level was markedly lower than the general US diet, which was classified as
high nonheme iron availability. When comparison of the iron bioavailability among other different
diets was carried out, the values of the total Thai diet were slightly lower than Utah, but higher than
US vegetarian and Regional Latin American diets.
Keywords : Thai Diet, Iron Bioavailability, Physiological Iron Store
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