A joint research project conducted by experts from the Beijing Municipal Education Commission and the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau shows that students are generally deficient in B vitamins. Since 2005, Beijing has started to use flour fortified with B vitamins as an ingredient in school meals in some schools. This year, it is expected to promote city-wide the use of school meals fortified with micronutrients, and also formulate the "Production and Quality Standards for Student School Meals." If a child lacks B vitamins, it is basically due to a dislike of whole grains and an unbalanced nutritional intake. Regarding these findings, Associate Director Li Haiying from the Department of Child Healthcare at the Capital Institute of Pediatrics explained that the importance of B vitamins for children, especially school-aged children, cannot be ignored because they are closely related to a child's learning. Vitamin B is not a single vitamin; it includes four vitamins: Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12. Each has different functions, but overall, the B vitamins help with protein metabolism in the brain and have a significant effect on maintaining memory and concentration, making them very important for students under academic stress.
Currently, there are no laboratory testing methods for a general survey of B vitamin deficiency. However, parents can discover subtle signs of B vitamin deficiency through daily observation: such as poor concentration, an inability to focus, rough skin, dull and yellowing hair, a sallow complexion, and frequent mouth ulcers. When such situations are noticed, parents should adjust the child's diet appropriately and give them more foods rich in B vitamins, such as various whole grains, green vegetables, soy products, animal organs, and fish. It is particularly worth mentioning that corn is rich in B vitamins, but when people eat corn on the cob, they often do not eat it completely. The small yellow kernels left behind (also called corn germ) contain a very high amount of B vitamins. These foods rich in B vitamins are very effective in relieving academic stress, relaxing the nerves, and promoting growth and development. If a child has poor growth and development, and shows symptoms such as fatigue and listlessness, it may be a more severe B vitamin deficiency that requires medication. However, it is best not to buy and take supplements from a pharmacy on one's own. Under a doctor's guidance, one should take a compound B vitamin or supplement with a single B1, B2, B6, or B12.