Examining the Folate Status of Canadians: An Analysis of the Canadian Health Measures Survey to Assess and Guide Folate Policies

Canada fortifies certain products with folic acid and has periconceptional supplementation guidelines – policies designed to improve folate status and reduce the incidence of poor birth outcomes. Though optimal folate concentrations have been linked to health benefits, concerns have been raised regarding potential associations with adverse health outcomes. Direct biochemical assessment of the folate status of Canadians based on a nationally representative sample has not been done in more than 40 years. The overall purpose of this research was to investigate the folate status of the Canadian population. All analyses used the nationally representative 2007–2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). Red blood cell (RBC) folate was measured by Immulite 2000 immunoassay. Key findings indicate that folate deficiency (<305 nmol/L) was virtually non-existent in the Canadian population (6–79 years old). Still, one-fifth of women of childbearing age (WCBA; 15–45 years old) had sub-optimal concentrations for the prevention of neural tube defects (