H van den Berg1. 1. TNO Nutrition and Food Research Institute, Zeist, Netherlands.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To review the methodology for vitamin A intake and status assessment and to discuss available data on vitamin A intake and status in the Netherlands. CONCLUSIONS: For diagnosis of a deficient vitamin A status, a number of valid biochemical and functional tests and criteria for interpretation are available. However, the sensitivity and specificity of most tests for assessment of the vitamin A status in the suboptimal and/or marginal range seem troublesome. The average vitamin A intake in the Netherlands (adult men 830 RE; adult women 650 RE) is slightly below the Dutch RDA (men 1000 RE; women 800 RE. In particular, individuals avoiding liver and liver products have lower intakes and might have limited stores. The functional significance of these findings remains to be established.
OBJECTIVE: To review the methodology for vitamin A intake and status assessment and to discuss available data on vitamin A intake and status in the Netherlands. CONCLUSIONS: For diagnosis of a deficient vitamin A status, a number of valid biochemical and functional tests and criteria for interpretation are available. However, the sensitivity and specificity of most tests for assessment of the vitamin A status in the suboptimal and/or marginal range seem troublesome. The average vitamin A intake in the Netherlands (adult men 830 RE; adult women 650 RE) is slightly below the Dutch RDA (men 1000 RE; women 800 RE. In particular, individuals avoiding liver and liver products have lower intakes and might have limited stores. The functional significance of these findings remains to be established.