Vitamin C Status and Dietary Intake In a Long Stay Unit for Clients with Learning Disabilities: Implications for Community Care

Abstract

Vitamin C status was assessed in 23 out of 48 clients living in Farleigh Hospital, Bristol using a simple titration technique on samples of urine collected following a loading dose of Ascorbic acid. A three‐day nutritional assessment was carried out on eight clients using food diaries in order to try and correlate dietary intake with Vitamin C status. The availability of Vitamin C at ward level was examined. The study revealed that despite adequate supplies of Vitamin C‐rich drinks/food at ward level 26% of clients tested had some degree of Vitamin C hypovitaminosis. There did not however appear to be any significant difference in current dietary intake between clients who had a degree of hypovitaminosis and clients who did not, so the implication is that previous dietary intakes were poor and have never been replenished. The limitations of such a small study are acknowledged but the implications for nutrition training and community care are still valid.