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Determinants of micronutrient status

Micronutrient status varies with intake, but a large number of other factors influence micronutrient status, independent of intake. Some of these factors are related to the food or diet, affecting bioavailability. These factors are out of the scope of IA3, which focuses on the individual biological variation. Determinants of micronutrient status such as age, physiological stress or polymorphisms will likely also affect the relationship between micronutrient status and biomarkers of health/homeostasis. Normal ranges of these markers will vary with e.g. age, or pregnancy. Per micronutrient we want to identify the (main) determinants of status, the biological/physiological factors associated with status (the yellow circles in Fig 1). Some determinants of micronutrient status are well-established and can be found in every textbook, others may be less well-known. We have tried to include the established data in the tables, but would like your expert view on this information as well:

• is the factor a determinant of micronutrient status (at least of the status parameter used most)? please indicate Y/N/?
• is this factor a determinant, independent of intake. (E.g. ethnicity may be related to status due to differences in dietary habits. But is ethnic origin a determinant of status in situations of similar dietary intake?)
• should we include other factors that have a major influence on the status of a specific micronutrient?