Vitamin A Inadequacy Observed in a Group of 2- to 6-Year-Old Children Living in Kwangju, Republic of Korea

Abstract

Dietary intakes and plasma concentrations of retinol and carotenoids were estimated in assessing the vitamin A status of young children in Kwangju, Republic of Korea. Three consecutive 24-hour food recalls and fasting blood samples were obtained from 123 healthy children (58 boys, 65 girls), aged 2-6 years. The daily vitamin A intake (mean +/- SD) was 355.9 +/- 178.1 microg retinol equivalents or 239.0 +/- 111.2 microg retinol activity equivalents. Provitamin A carotenoid intakes were 1211.2 +/- 840.0 microg/day beta-carotene, 234.6 +/- 231.7 microg/day alpha-carotene, and 149.1 +/- 160.7 microg/day beta-cryptoxanthin. Approximately 15-26% of subjects consumed < Korean Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) for vitamin A; whereas, 57-64% consumed < EAR for vitamin A for USA/Canadians. The mean plasma retinol concentration was 1.108 +/- 0.244 micromol/L. There were no significant correlations between intakes and plasma concentrations of retinol and carotenoids. Only 2.4% of children were vitamin A-deficient based on having plasma retinol concentrations <0.70 micromol/L. Plasma retinol concentrations of 42.3% of subjects were 0.70 - <1.05 micromol/L, which is considered indicative of potentially suboptimal vitamin A status. Therefore, some children may be at risk of inadequate vitamin A status in Kwangju, Republic of Korea.