Serum vitamin C, vitamin A and carotene values in infants in SWA/Namibia.

Serum vitamin C, vitamin A and carotene concentrations were measured in 425, 256 and 256 infants aged between 3 weeks and 12 months. Vitamin C concentrations were in general satisfactory, whereas vitamin A and especially carotene concentrations were unacceptably low in a large number of infants. concentrations were not correlated with age and sex nor with breast-feeding, but low and very low concentrations were more common after 6 months. Although clinical manifestations of the vitamin deficiencies were not present, the evidence points to an increased health risk for children.