Riboflavin status among rural children in Southern Italy

A sample of 107 boys aged 7-10 in a rural area of Southern Italy was studied for riboflavin deficiency and its association with milk consumption. The boys represented 74 per cent of the total male population of that age group in the study area. The nutritional status was assessed by means of anthropometric indicators, dietary intakes by a 24-h recall method and the riboflavin status was evaluated by the assay of erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity. The nutritional status was found to be generally satisfactory with about one tenth of the children presenting stunting, wasting, or obesity. This picture is comparable to that recorded at the national level. The overall incidence of biochemical riboflavin deficiency was 13 per cent. No clinical sign of riboflavin deficiency was observed. None of the anthropometric indicators of malnutrition appeared to be related to biochemical evidence of riboflavin malnutrition. Dietary data showed that the children consumed a relatively small amount of milk and dairy products (mean 224 +/- 109 g/d). Thirteen out of 14 children with biochemical evidence of riboflavin deficiency belonged to the group who consumed less than 300 g/d of milk. However, only 15 per cent of the children consuming less than 300 g/d of milk and dairy products had biochemical evidence of riboflavin deficiency. It appears that the dietary pattern in rural areas with traditionally low milk consumption is compatible with a relatively satisfactory riboflavin nutriture. This finding suggests that milk and dairy products may occupy, under different dietary practices, a role less critical than usually attributed.