[Energy and nutrient supply during childhood. VII. Vitamins. (author's transl)].

Vitamin intake (retinol, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, ascorbic acid) of 2--14 year old children living at home is reported. The vitamin supply corresponds with the recommendations of the committees for nutrition of the Federal Republic of Germany, of the German Democratic Republic, of the United Kingdom and of USA. The vitamin intake of the children is in the same range with the vitamin intake of children in similar European countries. Children in USA get more vitamins with their diet. There are more foodstuffs with added vitamins in USA than in Europe. The children observed by us received with their warm midday meals 40--60% of their daily vitamin intake. Determinations of the mean vitamin intake for an individual child need longer observation periods (6--8 weeks) than determinations for other nutrients. With a mixed well-composed diet children have a good supply with vitamins.