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The use of implementation intentions to promote vitamin D supplementation in young children

Jascha de Nooijer1, Roos Jansen, Patricia van Assema

  • 1Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, PO Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands. j.denooijer@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Nutrients
|December 4, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Implementation intentions did not improve vitamin D supplementation for young children. Further research in clinical settings is recommended to enhance vitamin D intake and child health.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Vitamin D deficiency is a concern in young children, with only 50% of Dutch children aged 0-4 years receiving adequate supplementation.
  • Low vitamin D levels can impact bone health and overall child development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of implementation intentions as a strategy to increase daily vitamin D supplementation in children aged 0-4 years.
  • To identify effective methods for promoting adherence to vitamin D supplementation protocols.

Main Methods:

  • An electronic survey was administered to 171 parents of children aged 0-4 years.
  • Participants were randomized into two groups: one receiving implementation intention instructions and a control group.
  • Outcomes were assessed at follow-up.

Main Results:

  • No statistically significant differences were observed between the implementation intention group and the control group across all measured outcomes.
  • The study suggests that simply prompting parents to form implementation intentions is insufficient to boost vitamin D intake in young children.

Conclusions:

  • Implementation intentions, when delivered via an online survey, did not effectively improve vitamin D supplementation rates in young children.
  • Future interventions should explore delivery methods within toddler consultation clinics to potentially enhance strategy effectiveness.

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