Maximizing nutrient intake with every spoonful of rice
Nov 01, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Last week at the 2018 Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) here, USA Rice presented findings on the Association of Rice Consumption with Nutrient Intake in Infants/Toddlers. The research study, funded by The Rice Foundation and rice research boards in Arkansas, Louisiana, California, and Mississippi, was conducted and presented by Victor Fulgoni, Ph.D., a scientist with the Campaign for Essential Nutrients, an industry group providing education about the role daily vitamin and mineral supplements can play in providing nutritional support.
Fulgoni studied National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to determine how the nutrient intake of infants and toddlers who consume rice differs from non-rice consumers. NHANES is a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States, and is unique in that it combines interviews and physical examinations.
The research indicates that infants and toddlers (0-23 months old) who reported rice consumption had greater intake of key nutrients like calcium, iron, magnesium, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, and C. Rice consumers also had lower intake of added sugar, cholesterol, sodium, and saturated fats.
Overall, consumption of rice from age 0-23 months is linked to better nutrient intake.
“The takeaways from this research are significant as they demonstrate the link between rice consumption and overall better nutrient intake in infants and toddlers,” said USA Rice Domestic Promotion Manager Cameron Jacobs. “The fact that this research was accepted by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to be a poster session at FNCE is noteworthy because it allowed that audience of dietitians, nutrition scientists, and policy makers to be exposed to our research. Their enthusiastic acceptance of the content bodes well for the future publication of the research manuscript.”
The research will now move into manuscript development for publication. During this process, further analyses on food sources of nutrients in rice consumers and non-consumers along with additional analyses will take place to provide even more understanding of the contribution of rice foods to the diets of infants/toddlers.