Nutrition Scientist Finds Many Preschoolers Short on Key Vitamins

Newswise — Health-conscious parents who feed their young children the same low-fat diet they consume for better health may inadvertently deprive their children of vitamin E, an important nutrient for growing bodies, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln nutrition scientist warns.

A study of preschool-age children living in Lincoln, Neb., found two-thirds of them deficient in vitamin E. Surprisingly, one-third of the children also weren't getting enough vitamin C, commonly found in such kid-friendly foods as orange juice.

Nutrition scientist Judy Driskell and her Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources colleagues tested 2- to 5-year-olds at four Lincoln day care centers. They drew blood samples from 22 ethnically diverse boys and girls to determine their vitamin E and C levels. Their parents also were interviewed to obtain dietary intakes for their children on two non-consecutive days.

Though Driskell was interested in the children's vitamin E status, the study's goal also was to evaluate the National Academy of Sciences' dietary recommendation for vitamin E in young children. She found that the recommendations matched her own findings and are appropriate. The recommendations are: 1-3 years, 6 milligrams alpha-tocopherol, the biologically active vitamin E, and 4-8 years, 7 mg. These recommendations were established in 2000 from adult data adjusted for children's smaller body mass and need for growth.

She also found that a majority of the children were vitamin E deficient.

"Parents are eating a lot of low-fat and non-fat products, and we're finding they also give their children such things as skim milk," Driskell said. "The low-fat diet is probably associated with their being low in vitamin E." It's likely the parents' vitamin E consumption also is inadequate.

To get the vitamin E they need, she recommends that children regularly consume whole milk, nuts and seeds, regular salad dressings, and whole-grain cereals fortified with vitamins. They also need to consume plenty of citrus fruits and juices for vitamin C. The Recommended Daily Allowances for vitamin C are: 1-3 years, 15 mg, and 4-8 years, 25 mg, she said.

"We found one-third of our children didn't consume adequate amounts of vitamin C, which is quite unusual. Usually we don't see very much vitamin C deficiency in the United States," Driskell said.

A severe vitamin C deficiency can cause scurvy, though the children in this College of Education and Human Sciences study showed no physical signs of the disease that can cause hemorrhaging, weakness, joint pain and tooth loss.

Driskell said she suspects she would find a wider problem of vitamin C deficiency in children if more were tested, particularly in the Midwest where citrus fruits cost more, which might negatively influence parental choices. It's important, she emphasized, for children to get at least two daily helpings of citrus products.

The study found that the children deficient in either vitamin came equally from all ethnicities, genders and ages.

"I personally would recommend that young children receive a daily multivitamin-multimineral supplement that contains the recommended daily values," she said. She recommends parents talk with their physician about whether their young children should take such a supplement.

The study has important implications for the day care industry, where many children spend the majority of their day, Driskell said. Several of the day cares in this study fed the children potato chips and other unhealthy options instead of fruits, nuts and citrus products.

She encourages parents to talk with their day care center staff about providing proper nutrition.

"The day care industry should also help these children to consume better diets, as well as the parents," she said.

Driskell plans to expand her study to include more children, particularly in rural areas.

This research was conducted in cooperation with IANR's Agricultural Research Division.