A Scoping Review of Dietary Intake among Young Adults in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Abstract

Poor dietary intake during young adulthood can increase the risk of chronic diseases, which are rising concerns in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This scoping review examined dietary intake among young adults in LMICs, highlighting their energy and nutrient intakes. Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost databases were searched to identify observational studies published in English from January 1, 2014 to July 31, 2024. Rayyan.ai was used to remove duplicates and facilitate the selection process, which two researchers independently carried out. Studies that reported on the energy and nutrient intake of healthy young adults aged 18 to 30 years in LMICs were included. A total of 14 studies were included (nine from upper-middle-income countries, five from lower-middle-income countries, zero from low-income countries). Most of the studies are cross-sectional studies (71.4%). The energy intake of young adults from upper-middle-income countries ranges from 1700 to 2400 kcal/day, while young adult women in lower-middle-income countries showed trends of low-energy intake and insufficient micronutrient intake. Most of the energy intake reported came from carbohydrates, followed by fat and protein. The findings highlighted a significant gap in data from low-income countries, underscoring the need for further research to inform policies and design effective interventions.