Intakes of vitamin C, vegetables and fruits: Which schoolchildren are at risk?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine vitamin C intakes amo ng American schoolchildren. We investigated the leading sources of vitamin C in children's diets, the leading vegetables and fruits consumed by childr en and differences in dietary intake associated with vitamin C consumption. Methods: Data from 1,350 7- to 12-year-old and 908 13- to 18-year-old schoo lchildren were obtained from the 1993-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intake s by Individuals (CSFII). The children were stratified by age and gender an d then split into three vitamin C consumption groups based upon two 24-hour recalls: low (0 to 30.0 mg), marginal (30.1 to 59.9 mg), and desirable (>6 0.0 mg). Data were analyzed by tabulation and by ANOVA followed by post hoc Scheffe's test Outcome measures included food groups and energy-adjusted i ntakes of micro- and macronutrients. Results: Among the 7- to 12-year-olds, 12% of boys and 13% of girls had mea n vitamin C intakes that were less than 30 mg/day, and, among 13- to Is-yea r-olds, 14% of boys and 20% of girls had low vitamin C intakes. In addition to consuming significantly more vitamin C, children with desirable vitamin C intakes also consumed significantly more (p <0.001) energy-adjusted fola te and vitamin B-6; children with low vitamin C intakes tended to have sign ificantly greater (p <0.001) energy-adjusted intakes of fat and saturated f at. Children with desirable vitamin C intakes consumed significantly more ( p <0.006) high-vitamin C fruit juice, low-vitamin C vegetables and whole mi lk Children with low vitamin C intakes on average consumed two daily servin gs of vegetables and fruits, of which less than 1/5 of a serving was citrus , while children with desirable vitamin C intakes consumed an average of on e daily serving of citrus. Conclusions: A considerable number of children drastically under-consumed v itamin C and total vegetables and fruits. Overall, children with desirable vitamin C intakes had healthier diets, including more milk and vegetables, than did their peers with low vitamin C intakes. Health care professionals should continue to promote at least five daily servings of vegetables and f ruits and should advise parents that at least one of these should be rich i n vitamin C.