National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme (NDNS RP)

This report presents results for blood folate concentrations for the UK and separately for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales based on data collected in Years 1 to 4 of the NDNS Rolling Programme (RP) and Years 2 to 5 for Wales. This is a supplementary report to the UK NDNS RP Years 1 to 4 report published in May 2014.

Folate in the diet comes from naturally occurring folates in foods and folic acid from fortified foods such as some breakfast cereals and from dietary supplements.

Results are reported for serum total folate, red blood cell folate and free (unmetabolised) folic acid for the standard NDNS age/sex groups and for women of child-bearing age. Due to small cell sizes, especially in children under 10 years and adults aged 65 years and over, results are not presented for all age/sex groups in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.