Open AccessPrevalence of low serum folate and vitamin B12 in an older Australian population
Author(s) -
Flood Victoria M.,
Smith Wayne T.,
Webb Karen L.,
Rochtchina Elena,
Anderson Valerie E.,
Mitchell Paul
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1326-0200
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-842x.2006.tb00084.x
Subject(s) - vitamin b12 , medicine , australian population , population , pediatrics , environmental health
Objective: To examine the prevalence of low serum folate and vitamin B12, in association with elevated serum homocysteine, in a representative sample of older Australians. Methods: During 1997‐2000, 3,508 persons aged 50+ years were examined in a population‐based cohort study conducted in two postcodes, west of Sydney, Australia. Of these, 2,901 participants (82.7%) provided fasting blood for estimates of serum folate, vitamin B12 and total homocysteine. Results: Low serum B12 (<185 pmol/L) was found in 22.9% of participants and low serum folate (<6.8 nmol/L) in 2.3% of participants. Among those people with very low serum vitamin B12 (<125 pmol/L) and low serum folate, 51% had elevated homocysteine. Conclusions: Low serum levels of vitamin B12 and elevated serum homocysteine are relatively frequent in older Australians. Implications: Appropriate public health action should be considered to reduce the prevalence of low serum vitamin B12 and elevated homocysteine in older Australians.