vitamin status of infants in a free living population

A longitudinal study assessed the dietary adequacy and vitamin nutriture (for vitamins A, E, and ascorbic and folic acids) of 325 infants from birth to 3 years of age. Breast-fed infants generally had higher serum ascorbic acid and vitamin E levels than bottle-fed infants; however, the serum levels...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational journal for vitamin and nutrition research Vol. 55; no. 2; pp. 205 - 216
Main Authors Vobecky, J.S, Vobecky, J, Shapcott, D, Demers, P.P, Blanchard, R, Fisch, C
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland 1985
Subjects
Age Factors
ascorbic acid
Avitaminosis - diagnosis
Child, Preschool
Diet
folic acid
Humans
Infant
infant nutrition
Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
infants
Morbidity
nutritional status
vitamin A
vitamin E
vitamin supplements
vitamins
Vitamins - administration & dosage
Vitamins - blood
Vitamins - metabolism
Canada
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Summary:A longitudinal study assessed the dietary adequacy and vitamin nutriture (for vitamins A, E, and ascorbic and folic acids) of 325 infants from birth to 3 years of age. Breast-fed infants generally had higher serum ascorbic acid and vitamin E levels than bottle-fed infants; however, the serum levels of folic acid were similar in both types of infants, while no infant had serum vitamin A levels less than 0.040 mg/dL. The proportion of infants having ascorbic acid intakes less than 80 per cent of the recommended intake decreased from 40 per cent (at age 6 months) to 10 per cent (at age 12 months) to 0 per cent (beyond 18 months), with vitamin A following a similar pattern. Most infants, however, had vitamin E (95 per cent) and folate (75 per cent) intakes that were less than 80 per cent of the recommended intakes. Infants supplemented with vitamin A and ascorbic acid had a higher nutritional status for these vitamins than unsupplemented infants. The study results suggest that vitamin supplements may be required for infants to ensure safe and adequate intakes.(wz)
ISSN:0300-9831