[Vitamin D in nutrition of young Icelandic children]

The aim was to study vitamin D intake in young Icelandic children.

Subjects were randomly selected infants (n=180, 77% participated) and 2-year-olds (n=140, 68% participated). These two groups were studied again at the age of 6 years (71% participated). The intake was assessed by weighed food records. Vitamin D intake was calculated using the Icelandic Nutrition Database and SPSS used for statistical analysis.

Characteristic for vitamin D intake was a wide range of intake. More than quarter of the infants and half of the two and six year olds received less than 50% of recommended daily intake. The frequency of fish liver oil consumption or use of other vitamin D supplement was 40-68%, lowest among the 6-year-olds. Vitamin D intake of those consuming fish liver oil or vitamin D supplements was 10,4 microg/day on average for infants, 9,5 microg/dag for the two year olds and 12,3 microg/dag for the six year olds, four or five times that of those not consuming any vitamin D supplements (2,7 microg/day, 2,1 microg/day and 2,7 microg/day for infants, 2-year-olds and six-year-olds, respectively).

The results show that children who do not consume fish liver oils or vitamin D supplements get only one quarter or less of recommended daily intake for vitamin D from their diet. Vitamin D is important for normal function and growth of the body and its role for bone development is well known. It is important to give detailed recommendations on vitamin D intake for infants and children and ensure the compliance to the recommended intake to avoid too low and too high intake.