Nutrient analysis of the Guamanian diet: acceptable energy distribution with inadequate nutrient quality

Nutrition-related diseases are now a major health problem and cause of mortality on Guam. The purpose of this study is to document the nutrient content of the diet of adults on Guam with ethnic and sex differences. The subjects were 400 adults residing on Guam selected to reflect the population distribution of the island for ethnicity and gender. A 24-hour dietary recall was administered via telephone using two-dimensional food models. The diets were analyzed for nutrient content using the Food Intake Analysis System. T-tests were used to compare the mean nutrients and a Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the median for the two genders. Analysis of variance was used to compare mean nutrient intakes among the ethnic groups. Results show a generally appropriate intake of energy with energy distribution of carbohydrate, protein and fat within guidelines established by the National Academy of Sciences (U. S.). Nutrients that likely exceed recommendations for good health include saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium with mean (+/- SD) intake at 10.5 +/- 4.1 of kcals, 352 +/- 256 mg/d, and 3226 +/- 1901 mg/d, respectively. Fiber, vitamin A, C, and E, folate, and magnesium are at levels that suggest inadequacy because large proportions of the sample, 96%, 48%, 56%, 83%, 85%, and 74%, respectively, were below the Estimated Adequate Intake (EAR) for these nutrients. Median intake is exceptionally low for calcium, 360 mg/d, and potassium, 2169 mg/d, and large proportions of the sample, 92% and 96%, are below the Adequate Intake (AI) level for calcium and potassium, respectively. This nutrient profile is associated with increased risk for chronic disease.