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Use of vitamin D supplements during infancy in an international feeding trial

Eveliina Lehtonen, Anne Ormisson, Anita Nucci

    Public Health Nutrition
    |June 26, 2013
    PubMed

    Insights

    Vitamin D supplement use in infancy varied significantly by region. European infants showed high usage, while Canadian infants had moderate use, and US/Australian infants had very low vitamin D supplementation rates.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Nutrition
    • Public Health
    • Endocrinology

    Background:

    • Infant vitamin D supplementation is crucial for bone health and immune function.
    • Geographical variations in vitamin D supplementation practices are not well-documented.
    • Understanding supplementation patterns informs public health recommendations.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the prevalence and patterns of vitamin D supplementation in infants across multiple countries.
    • To identify factors associated with vitamin D supplement use in early infancy.

    Main Methods:

    • A longitudinal study design was employed.
    • Data on vitamin D supplementation were collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ).
    • Information was gathered at 2 weeks and monthly up to 6 months of age in 2159 high-risk infants across Europe, USA, Canada, and Australia.

    Main Results:

    • Daily vitamin D supplementation exceeded 80% in Northern/Central Europe and 60% in Southern Europe.
    • In Canada, 71% of exclusively breastfed infants received vitamin D at 6 months, compared to 44% of others.
    • Less than 2% of infants in the USA and Australia received vitamin D supplements; higher gestational age, maternal age, and education correlated with increased use.

    Conclusions:

    • Vitamin D supplementation was common in European infants but less so in Canada, USA, and Australia.
    • Significant geographical disparities in infant vitamin D supplementation exist.
    • Maternal and infant factors influence vitamin D supplementation adherence.
    Abstract

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