Major nutritional findings from the First Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States of America, 1971-1974.

Some of the major findings from the First Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States were presented related to the Nutritional Status of the American people. These findings cover a range from possible deficiencies to possible escesses. Among the deficiencies, iron is the most frequent, affecting particularly young children and women of childbearing age as reflected by relatively low intakes and relatively high prevalences of low hemoglobin values and percent transferrin saturations. Mean hemoglobin values of blacks were significantly lower than those of whites in spite of higher iron intakes in many black females. Low mean intakes of calcium in black women were found associated with higher prevalences of Chvostek's sign, and low mean vitamin A intakes in younger black men and women of all ages were associated with follicular hyperkeratosis. On the excess side of the range were total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol intakes which are among the highest known. These high intakes are associated with relatively high serum cholesterol levels and a high frequency of obesity. Obesity in white women aged 20-45 years was associated with a lower reported caloric intake and a lower exercise score.