[Evaluation of dietary vitamin intake in Burgundy (France)].

The daily intake of vitamin B1, B2, B6, PP, C, A, D and E was investigated in 297 adult subjects, undergoing a check-up examination in a Health Center in Burgundy, by the 7-day self-recorded prospective protocol, to determine the prevalence of vitamin deficiency risks in an area of a West European Country. The daily vitamin intake was lower than the French Recommended Dietary Allowances: RDA (CNERNA, 1981). The intake was between 50 and 80% of RDA for vitamin B1 in 58%, B2 in 24%, B6 in 59%, PP in 43%, C in 21%, A in 8%, D in 0.6%, E in 53% of the female population and for B1 in 40%, B2 in 18.5%, B6 in 59%, PP in 46%, C in 27%, A in 11%, D in 7% and E in 47% of the male population. The daily vitamin intake was less than half of RDA vor vitamin B1 in 11%, B2 in 0.6%, B6 in 33%, PP in 6.3%, C in 4.5%, A in 0.6%, D in 98%, E in 36% in the females and for B1 in 3%, B6 in 8.5%, PP in 3.5%, C in 5%, A in 0.7%, D in 91% and E in 9% in the males. The use of a probability analysis for estimating vitamin deficiencies showed intakes below their own requirement in 37.8% for B1, 18% for B2, 58.6% for B6, 46% for PP, 29% for C, 8.3% for A, 98% for D and 43.4% for E in the males and 62.5% for B1, 20.9% for B2, 86% for B6, 46% for PP, 24% for C, 9.2% for A, 98% for D and 59.7% for E in the females. Significant correlations were found between the daily vitamin intake and the caloric intake for B1 (r = 0.64), B2 (r = 0.46), B6 (r = 0.64) and PP (r = 0.62). The significantly lower caloric intake in females than in males explains a higher proportion of vitamin deficiencies for B1, B2, B6 and PP in this population. The consumption of green vegetables and fresh fruit, and, consequently, vitamin C intake, was higher in females. Although it was not possible to determine to what extent the vitamin intake deficiency contributes to an impaired biochemical vitamin status, the dietary data of this study supply sufficient information to demonstrate high prevalences of deficient vitamin status in France, particularly for B1, B6 and E.