Nutrient intake of young South African adults from the baseline of the African-PREDICT cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to describe and compare the nutrient intake of young adults in the African Prospective Study on the Early Detection and Identification of Cardiovascular Disease and Hypertension (African-PREDICT) study according to ethnicity and socio-economic status (SES).

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline nutrient intakes in the African-PREDICT study.

Setting: North West Province, South Africa.

Participants: Black and white adults (n 1153), aged 20-30 years, were classified into three SES groups. Dietary data were collected using three multiple-pass 24-h dietary recalls.

Results: Among all participants, over 70 % failed to meet the estimated energy requirements and the estimated average requirements (EAR) for seventeen of the nineteen reported micronutrients. Across SES groups, more than 50 % of participants consistently did not meet the EAR for Ca, Mg, folate, pantothenic acid and biotin, as well as vitamins A, C, D and E. Participants' distribution by nutrient pattern tertiles showed high adherence to two patterns: one rich in animal protein and saturated fat, and the other in Mg, potassium, Ca, phosphorus and fibre. This was seen only in white participants and high SES. Black participants and low SES showed higher adherence to a plant protein, B-vitamins, Zn and Fe nutrient pattern.

Conclusions: The dietary intake of young adults in this study was restricted, with none of the groups meeting nutrient requirements for essential nutrients. Further research is needed to establish a direct link between nutrient patterns and the early detection and identification of CVD and hypertension.