The vitamin status of Viennese school children aged 11-12 years.

In 830 Viennese school children of both sexes, aged 11-12 years, plasma carotene, retinol and alpha-tocopherol, erythrocyte transketolase activity (alpha ETK), erythrocyte glutathione-reductase (alpha EGR) and erythrocyte glutamic acid oxalacetic acid transaminase (alpha EGOT) were determined. The mean alpha ETK value indicated inadequate thiamine supply. The vitamin status was better in boys and in children of higher socio-economic classes than in girls and in the low income group, with respect to beta-carotene, retinol, tocopherol, thiamine and riboflavin. The opposite situation was true in the case of pyridoxine where the girls and the children of lower socio-economic status showed lower values for alpha EGOT indicating a better vitamin B6 status. Eating habits of the children did not seem to affect the vitamin status, but in children with overweight higher values for retinol and thiamine were more frequent and a positive correlation was found between tocopherol values and serum cholesterol.