Objective: To determine whether the diet of adolescent male Kalenjin runners in a boarding school setting was adequate compared to FAO/WHO recommendations.
Design: A cross-sectional design study.
Setting: Marakwet High School in western Kenya.
Subjects: A study of twelve adolescent male Kalenjin runners was carried out to determine their micronutrient intake.
Main outcome measures: Over a two-week period, samples of the main eaten food were collected for analysis of micronutrient distribution and a daily 24 recall interview performed to determine additional food intake.
Results: The estimated intakes were compared to recommended or suggested adequate daily intake (RSDI) by FAO/WHO. For vitamin A, pyridoxine, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and vitamin E, the intakes represented only 17%, 82%, 56%, 55%, 95%, and 65% of RSDI, respectively. In contrast, the intakes of thiamine. riboflavin, and niacin all met RSDI by 208%, 107%, and 131%, respectively. Similarly, the intakes of magnesium, iron, and zinc were 272%, 404%, and 122% of RSDI, respectively, while calcium and selenium were below, 47% and 49%, respectively. The daily intakes of phosphorous, copper, and chromium were estimated to 4214 mg, 1309 microg, and 79 microg, respectively.
Conclusion: Total daily micronutrient intake of the twelve Kalenjin runners was far from adequate compared to FAO/WHO daily recommended and suggested adequate intake.