Longitudinal assessment of vitamin B-6 status in southern adolescent girls

The vitamin B-6 status of 62 black and 50 white adolescent girls living in Virginia and Alabama was assessed in 1981 and again in 1983, using the parameters coenzyme stimulation of erythrocyte alanine aminotransferase activities and dietary intakes of the vitamin. The subjects were 12 or 14 years old in 1981. The height and weight measurements of the subjects were within normal ranges. The mean daily vitamin B-6 intake of the girls from food was 1.25 mg both years, as estimated by two nonsequential 24-hour food recalls. Approximately half of the girls reported consuming less than 0.02 mg vitamin B-6 per gm protein during both years. Almost half of the girls had coenzyme stimulation values indicative of marginal or deficient status. Coenzyme stimulation and dietary values of the race, age, and income groups were similar. Changes in the status grouping of the girls between the 2 years as reflected by the coenzyme stimulation measurement were associated with changes in their vitamin B-6 intakes in 70% of the cases. Vitamin B-6 inadequacy seems to be prevalent among both black and white adolescent girls.