The young women who lack vital nutrients because of trendy diets

INCREASING numbers of young women are becoming deficient in vital nutrients thanks to trendy diets popularised by social media, experts have warned.

Most adults now lack key minerals such as potassium, magnesium and copper, analysis of health data shows.

But the picture is particularly bad for women, especially those in their 20s and 30s, who are also deficient in crucial nutrients such as iron, calcium and iodine.

Researchers blame fad ‘exclusion’ diets in which entire food groups are avoided. Fuelled by social media, these diets have surged in popularity in recent years.

The most obvious example is vegetarianism – avoidance of meat and fish – but people are increasingly cutting out ingredients such as gluten, dairy, grains or sugar.

Many experts worry these crazes leave followers neurotic about food and confused about what to eat.

A recent survey found as many as 42% of women could be at risk of iron deficiency while the menopause depletes the amount of calcium in bones due to the loss of oestrogen, causing them to weaken and break more easily.

Meanwhile, a study undertaken last year found that 77% of women of child-bearing age are not meeting the recommended average requirement set for iodine during pregnancy.

FURTHER research by Safefood which surveyed more than 900 teenage girls in Ireland found that 43% of girls aged 14 to 15 have some degree of iodine deficiency.

The study also found higher intakes of dairy products are linked to good iodine levels but teenage girls and young women consume some of the lowest amounts of milk compared to other populations groups.

One in eight adults are also low in Vitamin D, according to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and there has been a re-emergence of the disease rickets in recent years.

Experts insist a balanced diet is enough to provide the nutrients we need and recommends only limited supplements — mainly for at-risk groups and pregnant women — but advise taking vitamin D in the winter and folic acid during pregnancy.

But the figures suggest we simply do not eat healthily enough — and the industry says supplements are vital for good health.

The findings show that women are only getting 68% of the recommended intake for iron, 69% for potassium, 66% for selenium, 80% for copper and magnesium, 89% for iodine and 97% for calcium. And men are deficient in potassium, selenium, magnesium and copper but tend to get higher levels than women.

Research author Dr Emma Derbyshire, a nutritionist who runs a health consultancy, said social media is driving the problem.

‘Avoidance of food groups is very trendy at the moment but if you follow these diets you need to work very hard to make sure you get the right nutrients,’ she warns.

‘I think social media is the biggest driver with all these trends, information and advice put out, but very little of it is actually checked for accuracy. This is of particular concern given that early adulthood is a time to be in the “nutritional prime” of life preparing for parenthood.’

But nutrition expert Professor Louis Levy said a lack of nutrients ‘will not necessarily have a negative impact’.

He added: ‘Overall it is better to get our nutrients from a variety of foods within a balanced diet than from individual or multiple supplements.’