title: Daily consumption of orange-fleshed sweet potato for 60 days increased plasma β-carotene concentration but did not increase total body vitamin A pool size in Bangladeshi women.
abstract: We assessed the effect of daily consumption of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP), with or without added fat, on the vitamin A (VA) status of Bangladeshi women with low initial VA status. Women (n = 30/group) received one of the following for 6 d/wk over 10 wk: 1) 0 μg retinol activity equivalents (RAE)/d as boiled white-fleshed sweet potatoes (WFSP) and a corn oil capsule, 2) 600 μg RAE/d as boiled OFSP and a corn oil capsule, 3) fried OFSP and a corn oil capsule, or 4) boiled WFSP and a retinyl palmitate capsule in addition to their home diets. Plasma concentrations of retinol and β-carotene and total body VA pool size were assessed before and after the 60-d intervention. Initial and final plasma retinol concentrations (mean ± SD) were 0.75 ± 0.18 μmol/L and 0.84 ± 0.19 μmol/L, respectively (P = 0.31); final means did not differ by group. Initial and final plasma β-carotene concentrations were 0.10 ± 00 μmol/L and 0.18 ± 0.09 μmol/L, respectively (P < 0.0001); final mean plasma β-carotene concentrations were higher in groups that received OFSP (P < 0.0001), and final mean plasma β-carotene was marginally higher in the group that received fried OFSP compared with boiled OFSP (P = 0.07). Initial and final total body VA pool sizes were 0.060 ± 0.047 mmol and 0.091 ± 0.070 mmol, respectively (P = 0.05, n = 110) and did not differ by group. Despite an increase in plasma β-carotene concentration, the impact of OFSP on VA status appears to be limited in Bangladeshi women residing in a resource-poor community.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Kazi M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Jamil
authors.forename: Kenneth H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Maleka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jamil
authors.forename: Janet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Peerson
authors.forename: Alison H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Keenan
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Marjorie J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Haskell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D027723:Ipomoea batatas / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A