| Title | Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among healthy infants and toddlers. | | Author(s) | Gordon CM, Feldman HA, Sinclair L, Williams AL, Kleinman PK, Perez-Rossello J, Cox JE | | Institution | Divisions of Adolescent Medicine and Endocrinology, Children's Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. catherine.gordon@childrens.harvard.edu | | Source | Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2008 Jun; 162(6):505-12. | | MeSH | Child Welfare
Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant Welfare
Infant, Newborn
Knee
Life Style
Male
Nutritional Status
Prevalence
Primary Health Care
Questionnaires
Risk Factors
United States
Urban Population
Vitamin D
Vitamin D Deficiency
Wrist
| | Abstract | OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and to examine whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentration varies as a function of skin pigmentation, season, sun exposure, breastfeeding, and vitamin D supplementation.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional sample.
SETTING: Urban primary care clinic.
PARTICIPANTS: Healthy infants and toddlers (N = 380) who were seen for a routine health visit.
OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes were serum 25OHD and parathyroid hormone levels; secondary measures included data on sun exposure, nutrition, skin pigmentation, and parental health habits. Wrist and knee radiographs were obtained for vitamin D-deficient participants.
RESULTS: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (< or =20 ng/mL) was 12.1% (44 of 365 participants), and 146 participants (40.0%) had levels below an accepted optimal threshold (< or =30 ng/mL). The prevalence did not vary between infants and toddlers or by skin pigmentation. There was an inverse correlation between serum 25OHD and parathyroid hormone levels (infants: r = -0.27, P < .001; toddlers: r = -0.20, P = .02). In multivariable models, breastfeeding without supplementation among infants and lower milk intake among toddlers were significant predictors of vitamin D deficiency. In vitamin D-deficient participants, 3 participants (7.5%) exhibited rachitic changes on radiographs, whereas 13 (32.5%) had evidence of demineralization.
CONCLUSIONS: Suboptimal vitamin D status is common among otherwise healthy young children. Predictors of vitamin D status vary in infants vs toddlers, information that is important to consider in the care of these young patients. One-third of vitamin D-deficient participants exhibited demineralization, highlighting the deleterious skeletal effects of this condition. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
| | PubMed ID | 18524739 |
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