Daily boron intake from the American diet

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Trace Element Metabolism

Background:

• Growing interest in boron as an essential trace element nutrient from dietary sources.
• Previous estimates of dietary boron intake in the US population were based on limited data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive assessment of boron consumption in the American diet.
• To identify major food and beverage contributors to daily boron intake.

Main Methods:

• Developed a boron nutrient database for 1,944 foods, representing 95.3% of US food consumption.
• Linked the database to 11,009 individual food records from the 1989-1991 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII).
• Calculated average daily boron intake for various demographic groups, including men, women, pregnant women, and vegetarians.

Main Results:

• Estimated median daily boron intake: 1.17 mg/day for men, 0.96 mg/day for women, and 1.01 mg/day for pregnant women.
• Vegetarian adults showed higher median intake (1.47 mg/day for men, 1.29 mg/day for women).
• Coffee and milk were top contributors due to consumption volume, while peanut butter, wine, raisins, peanuts, and nuts were high in boron.

Conclusions:

• This study offers a detailed analysis of boron intake across the US population.
• Identified key food sources influencing overall boron consumption.
• Results can inform future assessments of boron adequacy in the American diet.