The Helen Keller international food frequency method may underestimate vitamin A intake where milk is a normal part of the young child diet

A recent innovation in assessing community vitamin A status is the Helen Keller International Food Frequency Method (HKI FFM), based on weekly intakes of key foods. Since it excludes animal milk, we investigated whether the amount of animal milk 345 pre‐school children received in a rural area of India contributed significantly to their total vitamin A intake. Degree of dilution and quantity of milk usually given were estimated and 9 milk samples were analysed for fat content.

Mean frequency of milk intake was 5.3 days/week. The range of milk consumed at one time was 50–200 ml. Median fat concentration was 3.7%. Intake of vitamin A from this milk corresponded to a daily average of 5–18% of the “safe” RDI for vitamin A, a high proportion of the apparently deficient intake. HKI FFM should be revalidated for settings where milk is commonly given to pre‐school children.

Key words:

• Vitamin A
• animal milk
• dietary assessment
• young child nutrition
• India

Notes

Corresponding author. Section for International Maternal and Child health (IMCH), Uppsala University Hospital, Entrance 11, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.