Excess vitamin intake: An unrecognized risk factor for obesity

Table 1 The estimated daily average requirements and recommended dietary allowances for selected vitamins (mg/d)¹

Vitamin	Adult man		Adult woman		Pregnancy
	EAR	RDA	EAR	RDA	EAR	RDA
Thiamin	1.0	1.2	0.9	1.1	1.2	1.4
Riboflavin	1.1	1.3	0.9	1.1	1.2	1.4
Niacin	12	16	11	14	14	18
Vitamin B6	1.1	1.3	1.1	1.3	1.6	1.9
Vitamin C	75	90	60	75	70	90
Vitamin E	12	15	12	15	12	15

¹Data are from the United States Food and Nutrition Board. EAR: Estimated daily average requirement, available from: URL: http://iom.edu/Activities/Nutrition/SummaryDRIs/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/DRIs/EAR%20Table.pdf. RDA: Recommended dietary allowance, available from: URL: http://iom.edu/Activities/Nutrition/SummaryDRIs/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/DRIs/RDA%20and%20AIs_Vitamin%20and%20Elements.pdf.

Table 2 Fortification recommendations for ready-to-eat cereals

Vitamin	U.S. RDA (mg/d)	1974-1992 amount	1974-2000 amount
		(mg/per pound)1	(mg/per pound)1
Thiamin	1.5	6	5.7
Niacin	20	80	76
Riboflavin	1.7	6.8	6.4
Vitamin C	60	240	227
Vitamin B6	2	8	7.6

¹Data are from Reference 34. RDA: Recommended dietary allowance.

Table 3 The minimum limit for infant formulas in the United States and commercially labeled values of nutrients (per 100 kcal)

Nutrient	ML1	TF2	TF/ML	PF2	PF/ML
Macronutrients
Protein (g)	1.8	2.71	1.5	3	1.7
Fat (g)	3.3	5.27	1.6	5.43	1.7
Vitamins
Vitamin B1 (μg)	40	100	2.5	250	6.3
Vitamin B2 (μg)	60	150	2.5	620	10.3
Niacin (nicotinamide, μg)	250	1050	4.2	5000	20.0
Vitamin B6 (μg)	35	60	1.7	250	7.1
Vitamin B12 (μg)	0.15	0.25	1.7	0.55	3.7
Vitamin C (mg)	8	9	1.1	37	4.6
Biotin (μg)	1.5	4.4	2.9	37	24.7
Pantothenic acid (mg)	300	450	1.5	1900	6.3
Folic acid (μg)	4	15	3.8	37	9.3
Vitamin A (IU)	250	300	1.2	1250	5.0
Vitamin D (IU)	40	60	1.5	150	3.8
Vitamin E (IU)	0.7	1.5	2.1	4	5.7
Vitamin K (μg)	4	8	2.0	12	3.0

¹The minimum limit for nutrients set by the United States Infant Formula Act of 1980[40];

²Similac formulas (http://abbottnutrition.com/brands/similac). ML: Minimum limit; TF: A similac formula for term infants (Similac Expert Care^® 24 Cal With Iron); PF: A Similac formula for low-birth-weight infants and premature infants (Similac^® Special Care^® 20 With Iron).

Table 4 Obesity rate in selected countries with different wheat flour fortification policies

Country	Food policy	Standard (mg/kg flour, min)			Obesity rate
		Niacin	Vitamin B1	Vitamin B2	in children
Canada	Mandatory1	52.9	6.4	4	9-104
United States	Mandatory1	52.9	6.4	4	6.85
Kuwait	Mandatory1	52.9	6.4	4	14.66
Saudi Arabia	Mandatory1	52.9	6.4	4	6-6.77
United Kingdom	Mandatory1	16	2.4	0	5.15
Finland	Prohibited2	0	0	0	2.55
Norway	Prohibited2	0	0	0	2.25
France	Prohibited3	0	0	0	1.65

¹Reference 36;

²Reference 19;

³Reference 42;

⁴Reference 43, children (7-13 years) in 1996;

⁵Reference 44, children (10 to 16 years) in 2001-2002;

⁶Reference 45, children (10 to 14 years) in 2005-2006;

⁷Reference 46 Children (1 to 18 years).