Despite living in a relatively wealthy country, as many as 99 percent of Taiwanese are suffering from a lack of essential vitamins and minerals, according to a survey released yesterday by a nutritionist.
The poll was conducted between Feb. 5 and Feb. 19 among 657 individuals aged between 25 and 64, including 350 people who prepare their own food every day and 307 who mostly dine out.
“About 72 percent of the respondents believed they had a nutritionally adequate diet, while on average, only one out of every 100 of them managed to consume enough servings from all the six food groups — vegetables, fruits, dairy, oils, grains and protein foods — on a weekly basis as recommended by the Ministry of Health and Welfare,” Taipei City Hospital’s Department of Dietetics and Nutrition director Chin Huei-min (金惠民) told a news conference in Taipei.
Chin said the respondents gave the highest average score of 4.14 to dietary habits when asked to rate on a scale of one to five the respective importance of diet, sleep (3.52), exercise (3.42), stress (2.79) and interpersonal relations (1.64) in regards to health.
However, only 12 percent and 21 percent ate sufficient fruits and vegetables per week respectively, the survey found.
As for the other four types of foods, just 14 percent of those polled had enough dairy, followed by oils at 32 percent, grains at 38 percent and proteins at 59 percent.
Of more concern was the gap between conception and action, Chin said, with 66 percent of respondents aware of the significance of adopting a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from each food group each day, but only 22 percent trying to put it into practice.
“A survey of the nutrition intake of Taiwanese between 2005 and 2008 found that more than half of the population lacked important micronutrients and substances such as potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, Vitamin E, and dietary fiber,” Chin said.
Chin said long-term micronutrient deficiencies could have a negative effect on metabolism, cause the body to become more prone to fatigue, make recovery from an illness more difficult, and lead to immune regulation imbalance.
According to the ministry’s daily dietary guidelines, people are advised to consume two to four servings of fruits, three to five dishes of vegetables, 1.5 to four servings of grains, three to eight servings of protein foods, 1.5 to two cups of dairy products, as well as three to seven teaspoons of oils and one serving of nuts.
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park this weekend, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a theme food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances. Pokemon Go Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as photo attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs. Pokemon trainers could also experience the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area. Three PokeStops are to be set up in the park. Trainers are invited to take
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