Dietary reference values: Vitamin A advice published

Published:

5 March 2015

2 minutes read

EFSA has set population Community of humans, animals or plants from the same species reference intakes for vitamin Dietary substance needed in very small amounts to support normal growth and maintenance of health in humans and animals. Most vitamins are 'essential' as they are not made within the body A as part of its review of scientific advice on nutrient An element or compound needed for normal growth, development and health maintenance. Essential nutrients cannot be made by the body and must, therefore, be consumed from food intakes. Draft proposals for vitamin E, phosphorus and vitamin B12 will be open for public consultation over the coming weeks.

The Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition The science of how diet relates to the body's need for sustenance and Allergies (NDA) set daily population reference intakes (PRIs) for vitamin A of:

750 μg for men and 650 μg for women.
250 to 750 μg for infants and children.
700 μg for pregnant women, which is higher than the adult PRI The intake of a nutrient that is likely to meet the needs of almost all healthy people in a population. It stands for population reference intake to allow for needs of the foetus and the growth of maternal tissues.

Analysis of data in EFSA’s Comprehensive Food Consumption Database and Nutrient Composition Database shows that in the EU average vitamin A intake The amount of a substance (e.g. nutrient or chemical) that is ingested by a person or animal via the diet ranges between 409–651 μg/day for children aged 1 to 3; 607–889 μg/day for children aged 3 to 10; 597–1,078 μg/day for adolescents (10 to 18 years); and 816–1,498 μg/day for adults.

Vitamin A is important for the maintenance of healthy vision, and the growth and integrity of cells in body tissues. The most specific clinical consequence of deficiency A lack of a necessary factor in, for example, the diet or the environment which results in harm to the growth of an organism is xerophthalmia, an eye condition that typically affects young children. Vitamin A deficiency is also associated in some low-income countries with respiratory infection, diarrhoea and increased mortality.

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin obtained from the diet either as preformed vitamin A (mainly retinol and retinyl esters) in foods of animal origin, or as provitamin A carotenoids in plant-derived foods. Foods rich in vitamin A include meat, butter, retinol-enriched margarine, dairy products, eggs, and vegetables and fruits such as sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, dark green leafy vegetables, sweet red peppers, mangoes and melons.

The public consultations on dietary reference values for vitamin E, phosphorus and vitamin B12 will begin on 9-10 March. Details will be available here.