VITAMIN NUTRITIONAL-STATUS IN ITALY

In almost all countries, the critical point for defining the nutrition al status of a population is represented by the poor source of represe ntative data of the whole population or of the main subgroups of the p opulation. Also, in Italy the sources of data on the nutritional statu s of biochemically evaluated macro- and micronutrients are scant in re lation to specific groups of the population, mainly children and the e lderly. In this short review only the nutritional status for vitamins is considered. The existing limited data, however, indicate that clini cal signs of severe deficiency are not observed in Italy and the incid ence of vitamin malnutrition is moderate. This is probably due to the large availability and variety of food and to Italian eating habits wh ich reflect the typical Mediterranean diet: rich, for example, in cere als, fresh fruit and vegetables, and olive oil, However, there are par ticular conditions, linked to lifestyle, in which the risk of a mild o r moderate vitamin malnutrition increases. These include a monotonous diet, drug interactions, smoking habits and alcohol consumption.