Nutritional Intake of Children IV. Vitamins A and D and Ascorbic Acid

Abstract

Data have been presented from 1008 nutrition histories on 64 children in the first 5 years of life. Intakes of vitamins A and D and of ascorbic acid have been computed in terms of quartiles and of maximum and minimum levels observed. Some individual patterns of intake of vitamin A are shown. The intake of animal sources of vitamin A shows little variation from age to age and a relatively small range at any age. The intake of plant sources, however, shows much more variation; there is a marked peak at the end of the first year, a decline in the second and third years, and a rise following three years of age. After the first 4 months, plant sources supply an average of 40 to 60% of total dietary vitamin A. After the first three months more than three-fourths of these children exceed the N. R. C. Recommended Allowance in vitamin A intake from diet alone; in addition, vitamin concentrates are given an average of 64% of the time. The median vitamin D intake increases to a peak of 1000 I.U. daily at 4 to 6 months, than decreases to a level just below 400 I.U. daily by 5 years. During the first 6 to 9 months most of the ascorbic acid intake is from ascorbic acid preparations rather than from diet; thereafter diet supplies an increasingly larger amount. After two years the Recommended Allowance is approximately at the 25th percentile level of observed intake from diet alone.