Intakes and Major Food Sources of Vitamins A and E of Korean Adults Living in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province

ABSTRACT

To determine vitamin A and E intakes and their food sources, dietary intakes were collected by three consecutive 24-hour recalls from 192 adults living in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, Korea. The mean vitamin A, retinol and beta-carotene intakes were 1240.1 +/- 1101.1 microg retinol equivalent/day (693.3 +/- 563.2 microg retinol activity equivalent/day), 182.6 +/- 149.5 microg/day and 5443.3 +/- 6365.5 microg/day, respectively. Only 9.4% of the subjects consumed less than the Korean Estimated Average Requirement for vitamin A. The mean vitamin E intake was 6.03 +/- 2.54 mg alpha-tocopherol equivalent/day. The alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol intakes were 4.83 +/- 2.03 and 5.57 +/- 3.41 mg/day, respectively. Most of the subjects (93.8%) consumed less than the Korean Adequate Intake for vitamin E. The major food sources of vitamin A were sweet potato, carrot, red pepper powder, spinach, and citrus fruit, and the top 30 foods provided 91.5% of total Plant foods provided 81.0% and animalderived foods 10.5% of the vitamin A intake from the top 30 foods. The major food sources of vitamin E were soybean oil, red pepper powder, Ramyeon (cup noodles), spinach, and egg. The top 30 foods provided 78.0% of total vitamin E intake. Plant foods provided 61.3% and animal-derived foods 15.9% of the vitamin E intake from the top 30 foods. In conclusion, the vitamin A intake of the Korean adults in this study was ge-nerally adequate, but the vitamin E intake of many subjects was inadequate. Therefore, nutritional education may be of benefit to Korean adults to increase their vitamin E intake.