Riboflavin status in a Saudi population--a study in Riyadh.

Riboflavin is essential for several metabolic processes taking place in the human body. A deficiency of riboflavin has been reported to occur at a high prevalence in several populations, particularly in children and adolescents from low-socioeconomic groups. We investigated the riboflavin status in 502 Saudi males and 213 Saudi females using a determination of red-cell glutathione reductase activity in the presence and absence of flavin adenine dinucleotide. The population was grouped according to age and the glutathione reductase activity coefficient (AC) was calculated in each of the groups. An AC value of 1.3 or above was recorded in 38% of the females and 17% of the males. In the female group the lowest percentage was in girls less than 12 years of age, and the highest in the age group 21-30 years, while among males boys of less than 12 years and men over 30 years of age had the highest percentage. In this paper we report and discuss the riboflavin status, as indicated by the glutathione reductase AC, in the Saudi male and female population in the Riyadh area.