New research exposes risk of nutritional
deficiencies in obese teenagers
by Nathan Gray

Teenagers and young adults who are severely obese are at risk of nutritional deficiencies including low iron, anaemia, and a low vitamin D status, find researchers.

The study is believed to be the first study to compare the nutritional status of severely obese teens who did not undergo weight loss surgery to those who did have surgery ­ finding that at leastyears after undergoing gastric bypass surgery, teens and young adults maintained significant weight loss but were at risk of nutritional deficiencies, particularly low iron, mild anemia and low vitamin D.

Isotonix Vitamin D with K2

The team, led by Dr Stavra Xanthakos, director the Surgical Weight Loss Program for Teens at Cincinnati Children's, also found low iron and low vitamin D in severely obese teens who did not undergo weight loss surgery. Those who didn't have surgery also had low levels of protein in their blood.

"We knew there were nutritional difficulties in teens who had undergone bariatric surgery, but everyone thought it was primarily the surgery that caused these problems since gastric bypass excludes the portion of the small intestine where many nutrients, especially iron, are most absorbed," said Xanthakos.

"What this shows us is that nutritional deficiencies occur even in teens who don't undergo surgery. Severely obese patients should be screened for nutritional deficiencies, regardless of whether they've undergone weight loss surgery."

Research details
The researchers studied 79 obese teens who either received weight loss surgery or were evaluated but did not receive surgery. These participants were evaluated between 2001 and 2007 and contacted to participate in the study between 2011 and 2014.

Eight years on average after surgery, the team found that the patients had experienced "durable and significant" weight loss, about 28%, while those who didn't receive surgery had not lost weight.

However, both groups were at risk from nutritional deficiencies, said the team ­ who presented their data at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Vancouver, Canada.

Indeed, obese teens were found to be at risk from low iron and vitamin D irrespective of whether they received the surgery.

How to Choose a Multivitamin

How to Choose a Multivitamin 
from Scientific Affairs

While it’s generally agreed that a balanced diet is the best foundation for health, some studies suggest that to receive the required amounts of all vitamins and minerals we would need to consume approximately 3,000 calories worth of very specific fruit and vegetable combinations on a daily basis. For anyone who is not free to cook—and eat—for the majority of the day, this is not a viable option.

For these reasons among others, it’s no surprise that a study conducted by The Council for Responsible Nutrition shows that a daily multivitamin is the first choice among dietary supplements. Adding to healthy eating with the missing vitamins and minerals not only helps prevent deficiencies related to disease; it also promotes optimal performance in everyday life. As a result, multivitamin supplementation continues to increase, as do the available choices. When it comes to making the right choice, the following points will provide solid guidance.

MultiVitamin

• Most multivitamins will contain approximately 100 percent of the RDA recommendations for 20-25 individual nutrients—in general, the most important of these are the B-complex vitamins, Vitamin D and Vitamin E, and these can certainly be present in higher amounts.
• Biotin is critical for B-complex absorption, but is often included in minimal amounts for reasons of cost—a quality multivitamin will contain 100 percent of the RDA.
• Zinc is regarded as increasingly important in recent studies, and obtaining the entire RDA from food can be challenging; a quality multivitamin should contain approximately 50 percent of the RDA to make up the difference.
• Iodine helps to ensure proper thyroid function, which is foundational to proper metabolism—a sound multivitamin formula will contain 100 percent of the RDA.
• Despite debate about iron supplementation, it is almost certainly advisable for pre-menopausal women; their RDA is set at 18mg, while men require 8mg.
• Selenium has demonstrated particular potential for men’s health, specifically prostate function, but intake must be moderate, regardless of gender—a balanced formulation will contain 75 to 100 percent of the RDA.

As the last two points suggest, varied vitamin and mineral needs have been shown in certain populations, such as higher amounts of B-complex for athletes, Vitamin D for adults over 65, and other categories based on individual genetics and lifestyle habits. Assessing those needs and taking the next step towards custom nutrition may prove useful for those individuals.

All of the above, however, will definitely prove useful in selecting a good general-purpose multivitamin. In times when many of us find ourselves struggling to reach the top of the food pyramid, this simple measure can deliver a much-needed nutritional boost.