Vitamin B intake and status in healthy Havanan men, 2 years after the Cuban neuropathy epidemic.
A prospective epidemiological study was carried out over 1 year to evaluate vitamin B complex dietary intake and status in Cuba, 2 years after the Cuban neuropathy epidemic of 1993. Of the 199 healthy middle-aged men selected, 141 completed the study. Volunteers were followed up every 3 months for 1 year. Dietary intake and status of thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate and vitamin B12 were assessed each time. The dietary intake of vitamin B complex was low, particularly in June and July (folate), and October (thiamin). A deficient status was observed for vitamin B complex, except for vitamin B6. Vitamin B complex intake and status varied over the year. However, dietary intake and status were poorly related. The results prove that healthy Cuban men represent a vulnerable population in terms of vitamin B complex status and stress the necessity to both promote preventive multivitamin supplementation and produce local food rich in vitamin B complex.
Arnaud
J
J
Département de Biologie Intégrée, CHUG, BP 217, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9, France. Josiane.Arnaud@ujf-grenoble.fr
Fleites-Mestre
P
P
Chassagne
M
M
Verdura
T
T
Garcia Garcia
I
I
Hernandez-Fernandez
T
T
Gautier
H
H
Favier
A
A
Pérez-Cristià
R
R
Barnouin
J
J
D000328:Adult; D003462:Cuba / Q000453:epidemiology; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D014804:Vitamin B Deficiency / Q000150:complications*
D014803:Vitamin B Complex