Vitamins, Total Cholesterol, and Triglycerides in 642 New York City School Children

Abstract

Circulating thiamine, biotin, riboflavin, pantothenate, nicotinic acid, vitamin B₆, B₁₂ (by protozoal assay methods), folate (by Lactobacillus casei method), vitamin A, β-carotene, ascorbic acid, vitamin E, total cholesterol, and triglycerides (by chemical methods) were analyzed in 642, 10- to 13-year-old New York City School children belonging to Chinese, Puerto Rican, Negro, and Caucasian families. All groups studied showed distinct vitamin and lipid patterns. Clinical impressions of nutriture did not correlate with inadequate protein intake. Thiamine, biotin, and ascorbate were all markedly below the mean values for the total population when protein intake was inadequate; fortification with oral multivitamins did not alter these results. In the case of vitamin B₁₂, vitamin A, β-carotene, vitamin E, and pantothenate oral multivitamins raised circulating levels in subjects on inadequate protein intake. Deficient protein intake also caused marked increase of triglycerides above the mean for the total population. It is suggested that the combination of the extremely lowered thiamine, biotin, ascorbate, and higher triglyceride deviations from the mean for the total population may form part of the pattern common to inadequate protein nutriture. These results can serve as a guide for nutritional studies involving 10- to 13-year-old children from diverse population and socioeconomic backgrounds. The methods used for this survey can be adapted to any large-scale nutritional study.