Vitamin A Nutritional Status of Preschool Children and Observation on Effects of Vitamin A Supplementation

Objective To understand vitamin A(VA) nutritional status and effects of vitamin A supplementation in preschool children in order to provide basis for evaluating and improving vatimin A status of preschool children in China.Methods The dietary survey of 272 preschool children aged 3-7 years in Beijing rural were studied.VA content in sera was detected by HPLC.Thirty subjects who had low serum VA levels(0.73μmol·L^-1) were supplied with totally VA 150,000IU in 6 weeks,and were determined serum VA concentration again.Results The results demonstrated that the daily dietary intake of VA was 384.3±277.0μg retinol equivalent(RE) and was 58.2% of the RDA.The average content of serum VA in 272 preschool children was 1.12±0.06μmol·L^-1 and 44.08% of children whose serum content of VA was 1.05μmol·L^-1,6.12% of children whose serum content of VA was below the lower limit of VA insufficiency -0.7μmol·L^-1.The subjects with normal VA were only 55.92%.Thirty preschool children who had low serum VA levels were supplied VA,serum content of VA were enhanced to 1.47μmol·L^-1.Conclusion With the improvement of economic state,there were still VA deficiency,which should be paid attiontion to.