Vitamin B2, vitamin B12 and total homocysteine status in children and their associations with dietary intake of B-vitamins from different food groups: the Healthy Growth Study

Abstract

A considerably high prevalence of poor plasma vitamin B status was observed in children. The intake of milk, fruits and cereals was associated with more favorable tHcy levels, while the intake of milk and fruits with more favorable plasma B2 levels. However, these findings need to be further confirmed from controlled dietary intervention studies examining the modulation of biomarkers of B-vitamins.

Associations of Milk Consumption and Vitamin B2 and Β12 Derived from Milk with Fitness, Anthropometric and Biochemical Indices in Children. The Healthy Growth Study

“…The important role of dairy in ensuring nutrient intake adequacy and sufficient concentrations of nutrient status blood indices was recently reported for the population of schoolchildren examined in the present study [2,6]. These recent findings showed that dairy consumption contributes to 63.2% of dietary calcium intake and 28.1% of total dietary zinc intake, as well as to 47.2%, 42.9% and 17.3% of the total dietary intakes of vitamin B 12 , B 2 and B 6 respectively [2].…”

“…Of these 2472 children, a representative subsample of 600 children was used to examine the current research hypothesis, for which data were already available from previous analyses on B-vitamin status markers. The selected subsample of 600 children had similar characteristics with the remaining subsample of 1872 children from the total study population, since there were no statistically significant differences observed in demographic, anthropometrical and clinical indices between the two samples [6]. More information on the sampling procedures followed is presented in details elsewhere [16].…”

“…The same data also showed that more that 50% of dairy consumption by the same population of Greek schoolchildren is attributed to milk intake, which subsequently contributes to 36.6%, 13.3%, 28.4%, 26.6% and 11.9% of the total dietary intakes of calcium, zinc, vitamin B 12 , B 2 and B 6 respectively [6]. Furthermore, it was confirmed that dietary vitamin B 2 intake from milk was positively associated with plasma riboflavin concentration, i.e., a marker of vitamin B 2 status [6]. In addition, dietary intakes of vitamin B 6 and B 12 from milk were associated with lower plasma concentrations of total homocysteine (tHcy) [6], a potential cardio metabolic risk factor that increases in states of poor B-vitamin status.…”

“…These recent findings showed that dairy consumption contributes to 63.2% of dietary calcium intake and 28.1% of total dietary zinc intake, as well as to 47.2%, 42.9% and 17.3% of the total dietary intakes of vitamin B 12 , B 2 and B 6 respectively [2]. The same data also showed that more that 50% of dairy consumption by the same population of Greek schoolchildren is attributed to milk intake, which subsequently contributes to 36.6%, 13.3%, 28.4%, 26.6% and 11.9% of the total dietary intakes of calcium, zinc, vitamin B 12 , B 2 and B 6 respectively [6]. Furthermore, it was confirmed that dietary vitamin B 2 intake from milk was positively associated with plasma riboflavin concentration, i.e., a marker of vitamin B 2 status [6].…”

“…Furthermore, it was confirmed that dietary vitamin B 2 intake from milk was positively associated with plasma riboflavin concentration, i.e., a marker of vitamin B 2 status [6]. In addition, dietary intakes of vitamin B 6 and B 12 from milk were associated with lower plasma concentrations of total homocysteine (tHcy) [6], a potential cardio metabolic risk factor that increases in states of poor B-vitamin status.…”