Abstract
In a cross-sectional study, the primary objective was to assess the plasma concentration of 25–hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in healthy 9-month-old infants (n=255). The secondary objective was to evaluate nutritional variables and season in relation to 25(OH)D. The concentration of 25(OH)D was 77.2±22.7 nmol/l (mean±s.d.), ranging from 12 to 151 nmol/l. During the first 9 months, 97% received vitamin D supplementation (10 μg/day) and 89% had sufficient levels of 25(OH)D (50–250 nmol/l). In multiple regression analysis, controlled for body mass index (BMI) and intake of infant formula, a longer period of exclusive breastfeeding (P=0.026) and breastfeeding at 9 months (P=0.001) were both associated with lower levels. Dietary vitamin D intake was 4.4±3.1 μg/day and in multiple regression analysis, controlled for BMI, intake of infant formula and mean energy intake, it was positively associated with 25(OH)D (P=0.001). There was a significant seasonal difference in 25(OH)D, with higher levels during summer−autumn compared with winter−spring (P=0.021) after control for BMI.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by The Danish Directorate for Food, Fisheries and Agri Business. The food records were analysed at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, and 25(OH)D at Aalborg University Hospital, FBE Clinical Biochemistry South. Inge Rasmussen, Julie Brønholm, Linnea Söderlind, Tina Barsøe and Vivian Anker are gratefully acknowledged for assisting in data collection. We express our sincere appreciations to the families and their infants for participating in SKOT.
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The authors declare no conflict of interest. However, since completing the data collection and primary analysis, the first author of the manuscript has been working in a company that is, among other products, producing formulas.
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Contributors: ALM and MØ collected the data. MØ undertook the statistical analyses and wrote the paper in collaboration with KA. CM and KFM designed the study. HK performed the vitamin D analyses. ET analysed the food records. All contributed to the paper.
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Østergård, M., Arnberg, K., Michaelsen, K. et al. Vitamin D status in infants: relation to nutrition and season. Eur J Clin Nutr 65, 657–660 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2010.285
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2010.285
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