Nutr Res Pract.  2012 Feb;6(1):45-50.

Vitamin A status of 20- to 59-year-old adults living in Seoul and the metropolitan area, Korea

• Kim S
• Kim YN
• Cho YO

Abstract

Dietary intakes and plasma concentrations of retinol and carotenoids were estimated in assessing the vitamin A status of Korean adults living in Seoul and the metropolitan area. Three consecutive 24-h food recalls were collected from 106 healthy subjects (33 males and 73 females) aged 20-59 years. Fasting blood samples of the subjects were obtained and plasma retinol and carotenoids were analyzed. The daily vitamin A intakes (mean +/- SD) were 887.77 +/- 401.35 microg retinol equivalents or 531.84 +/- 226.42 microg retinol activity equivalents. There were no significant differences in vitamin A intakes among age groups. The retinol intake of subjects was 175.92 +/- 129.87 microg/day. The retinol intake of the subjects in their 50's was significantly lower than those in their 20's and 30's (P < 0.05). Provitamin A carotenoid intakes were 3,828.37 +/- 2,196.29 microg/day beta-carotene, 472.57 +/- 316.68 microg/day alpha-carotene, and 412.83 +/- 306.46 microg/day beta-cryptoxanthin. Approximately 17% of the subjects consumed vitamin A less than the Korean Estimated Average Requirements for vitamin A. The plasma retinol concentration was 1.22 +/- 0.34 micromol/L. There was no significant difference in plasma retinol concentrations among age groups. However, the concentrations of beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein of subjects in their 50's were significantly higher than those of in their 20's. Only one subject had a plasma retinol concentration < 0.70 micromol/L indicating marginal vitamin A status. Plasma retinol concentration in 30% of the subjects was 0.70- < 1.05 micromol/L, which is interpreted as the concentration possibly responsive to greater intake of vitamin A. In conclusion, dietary intakes and status of vitamin A were generally adequate in Korean adults examined in this study.

Keyword

Vitamin A status; retinol; provitamin A carotenoids; carotenoids

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
beta Carotene
Carotenoids
Fasting
Humans
Korea
Lutein
Male
Middle Aged
Plasma
Vitamin A
Vitamins
Xanthophylls
Carotenoids
Lutein
Vitamin A
Vitamins
Xanthophylls
beta Carotene

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Percentages of Korean adults consuming vitamin A less than Korean Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) and less than US/Canadian DRI. None of the subjects consumed vitamin A more than Tolerable Upper Intake Level in Korean DRI and US/Canadian DRI. Estimated Average Requirement, EAR; Recommended Nutrient Intakes, RNI; and Recommended Dietary Allowance, RDA.

• 

  Fig. 2 Distribution of plasma retinol concentrations of 106 adults aged 20-59 years in living in Seoul and the metropolitan area in Korea.

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