Vitamin A Intake of Exclusively Breast-Fed Infants in Cheongju and Anseong areas

ABSTRACT

This study was longitudinally conducted to evaluate vitamin A intake of exclusively breast-fed infants compared with the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for Korean infants. Twenty-seven Korean lactating women and their infants during the first 6 months of lactation in Cheongju and Anseong areas were participated. Retinol and beta-carotene contents in the milk were determined using HPLC and also the milk consumption of the infants was measured by the test-weighing methods. Vitamin A (retinol and beta-carotene) contents of the milk were 65.7, 57.2, 48.1, 43.9, 38.2, 38.7 and 44.0 R.E./100 ml, and vitamin A intakes of the breast-fed infants were 361, 402, 348, 331, 304, 305 and 322 R.E./day at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 month of lactation, respectively. The average intake of vitamin A was 339.1 R.E./day and the percentage to RDA was 96.9% during 6 months. Vitamin A intakes per body weight of the breast-fed infants were 96.7, 88.3, 62.1, 50.0, 41.8, 39.3 and 39.6 R.E./kg/day at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 month. The body weight increased normally from 3.4 +/- 0.5 kg at birth during lactation. It is suggested that the breast-fed infants in Cheongju and Anseong areas consumed adequately vitamin A from the milk compared with RDA for Korean infants.