Dietary vitamin A intakes of chinese children with adequate liver stores as assessed by the retinol isotope dilution technique

Abstract

Background We attempted to estimate dietary vitamin A requirements based on dietary vitamin A intake in well-nourished Chinese children with adequate liver vitamin A reserves. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in a kindergarten and an elementary school in Shiyan city, Hubei province of China from December 2009 to July 2010. After screening, 60 children (22 aged 4 ~ 6 y and 38 aged 7 ~ 9 y) were randomly subjected to a 3-d or 18-d deuterated-retinol-dilution (DRD) procedure to evaluate the vitamin A reserves in the body and liver. Dietary intakes of vitamin A were estimated from two (one in winter and one in summer) consecutive 3-day weighed food records and dietary recalls. Results The dietary vitamin A intakes were significantly correlated with vitamin A stores in the body and liver, but not with the serum level of retinol. The dietary vitamin A intakes were 476.9 ± 196.7 µg retinol equivalent (RE) (or 377.7 ± 166.2 µg retinol activity equivalent (RAE)) / day for 4 ~ 6 y children and 529.1 ± 87.2 µg RE/d (or 464.0 ± 81.1 µg RAE/d) for 7 ~ 9 y children with adequate liver vitamin A reserves. The estimated liver stores of vitamin A derived from both time points (3-d and 18-d) were similar. Conclusion Adequate dietary vitamin A intakes among the well-nourished Chinese children were estimated to be 477 µg RE/d (95%CI 385 ~ 570) or 378 µg RAE/d (95%CI 304 ~ 441) for 4 ~ 6 y children and 529 µg RE/d (95%CI 500 ~ 560) or 464 µg RAE/d (95%CI 437 ~ 491) for 7 ~ 9 y children. Although it needs to be verified in a larger population of different regions in China, our results provide important data to establish the dietary requirement of vitamin A specifically for Chinese children.

Establishment of Reference Range for Serum Concentration of Vitamin A and Vitamin E in Southern Sichuan Area of China

“…Vitamins are essential trace organic substances for humans and animals, which are crucial in the process of body growth, metabolism, and development, and are also necessary conditions for maintaining normal physiological functions [ 1 , 2 ]. Vitamin A (VA) and vitamin E (VE) are common vitamins that play an important role in all stages of human life, and their deficit and excess can affect human health [ 3 , 4 ]. Vitamin A has a wide range of biological effects, mainly closely related to embryonic development, hematopoietic, immune function, vision, etc.…”