Daily Consumption of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato for 60 Days Increased Plasma β-Carotene Concentration but Did Not Increase Total Body Vitamin A Pool Size in Bangladeshi Women1–3

Abstract

We assessed the effect of daily consumption of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP), with or without added fat, on the vitamin A (VA) status of Bangladeshi women with low initial VA status. Women (n= 30/group) received one of the following for 6 d/wk over 10 wk:1) 0μg retinol activity equivalents (RAE)/d as boiled white-fleshed sweet potatoes (WFSP) and a corn oil capsule,2) 600μg RAE/d as boiled OFSP and a corn oil capsule,3) fried OFSP and a corn oil capsule, or4) boiled WFSP and a retinyl palmitate capsule in addition to their home diets. Plasma concentrations of retinol and β-carotene and total body VA pool size were assessed before and after the 60-d intervention. Initial and final plasma retinol concentrations (mean ± SD) were 0.75 ± 0.18μmol/L and 0.84 ± 0.19μmol/L, respectively (P= 0.31); final means did not differ by group. Initial and final plasma β-carotene concentrations were 0.10 ± 00μmol/L and 0.18 ± 0.09μmol/L, respectively (P< 0.0001); final mean plasma β-carotene concentrations were higher in groups that received OFSP (P< 0.0001), and final mean plasma β-carotene was marginally higher in the group that received fried OFSP compared with boiled OFSP (P= 0.07). Initial and final total body VA pool sizes were 0.060 ± 0.047 mmol and 0.091 ± 0.070 mmol, respectively (P= 0.05,n= 110) and did not differ by group. Despite an increase in plasma β-carotene concentration, the impact of OFSP on VA status appears to be limited in Bangladeshi women residing in a resource-poor community.