Scoping review of micronutrient intake in midlife women across six Asian regions

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Frontiers in Medicine Published May 22, 2026 Medically reviewed May 22, 2026 Study authors: Unnop Jaisamrarn, Premitha Damodaran, Maria Antonia Habana, Sajidah Banu, Arya Shah, Vandana Garg, S… DOI ↗ By Dr. Amelia Tan, PhD · Internal Medicine & Chronic Disease

Key Takeaway

Consider the reported associations between micronutrient status and health outcomes in midlife Asian women, noting evidence gaps.

This is a scoping review that identified eighty-six publications and ten reports on micronutrient intake and status in midlife women across six Asian regions, including India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Taiwan. The review focused on B-vitamins, calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium, and their associations with bone health, metabolism, cognition, quality of life, and menopausal transition health.

The authors synthesized that suboptimal intakes or deficiency of these micronutrients were common. They reported that adequate intake or status showed positive associations with better bone health, metabolism, cognition, and quality of life. No pooled effect sizes, absolute numbers, p-values, or confidence intervals were reported.

Key limitations noted by the authors include methodological differences across the identified studies and reports. The review did not report on specific interventions, comparators, follow-up periods, or safety data.

The authors suggest that strengthening surveillance and developing targeted interventions are critical to support healthy aging and disease prevention in this population. Practice relevance is framed cautiously, with available data suggesting associations rather than causation.

Study Details

Study typeSystematic review

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedMay 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

Micronutrient status is critical for the health and well-being of midlife women during the menopausal transition. However, data on micronutrient intake and status among midlife Asian women remain limited. This review examined the landscape of micronutrient intake, deficiency, and health impact in this population. Using a scoping review approach guided by a Population-Concept-Contextframework, we descriptively synthesized evidence from population-level and peer-reviewed data across six Asian regions (India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Taiwan). The review focuses on B-vitamins, calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium, due to their roles in metabolic, musculoskeletal, cognitive, and mental health. Eighty-six publications and ten reports were identified. Despite methodological differences, evidence consistently indicated suboptimal intakes or deficiency. Available data suggested associations between adequate intake or status and better bone health, metabolism, cognition, and quality of life. Micronutrient inadequacy among this population is common yet under-recognized. Strengthening surveillance and developing targeted interventions are critical to support healthy aging and disease prevention among women in midlife and beyond.