Besides food consumption research, RIVM also conducts nutritional status research. This allows us to judge the amounts of vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) in people’s bodies, which show whether people have insufficient or excessive nutrients in their body. On this page, we explain more about this research and RIVM’s methods.
Goal of nutritional status research
Researchers usually analyse blood and urine for nutritional status research, as this is the best method for most nutrients. They use this information to determine the amounts of nutrients people in the Netherlands are getting. It can also help support the advisory reports of the Health Council of the Netherlands on nutritional supplements and the government’s food policy.
Reasons for nutritional status research
There are various reasons for conducting nutritional status research. For example, the results of the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (DNFCS) may indicate a deficiency of one or more nutrients. Nutritional status research can then help confirm or disprove these findings. Another reason is that it is difficult to measure the total intake of some nutrients through the DNFCS. This includes vitamin D, which is primarily absorbed through the sun from sunlight, and only to a small degree from nutrition and supplements. The DNFCS does not measure exposure to sunlight.
The DNFCS primarily focuses on the general population, not on specific groups. However, certain population groups are at a greater risk of deficiencies of certain nutrients, and some groups are at a greater health risk due to a deficiency. This means that it is important for them to know if they are getting sufficient nutrients and have a good nutritional status. Some nutritional status research is therefore focused on specific groups. One example of a group not included in the DNFCS is pregnant women. During pregnancy, they need more of certain nutrients, as a deficiency can entail risks for the unborn child.
Currently, RIVM is conducting research into:
• the nutritional status of various vitamins and minerals among pregnant women; and
• the vitamin D status among adults.
New design for nutritional status research
In this 2023 nutritional study (in Dutch) RIVM provides an overview of the results of the nutritional status research conducted between 2005 and 2019. RIVM also gives recommendations on future nutritional status research and how to conduct it. We generally measure one nutrient at a time, but in the future RIVM wants to combine the measurement of several nutrients where possible to save time and money.
Results of nutritional status research
Find out more about completed nutritional status research: