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Suboptimal vitamin D status in a population-based study of Asian children: prevalence and relation to allergic

Tsung-Chieh Yao1, Yu-Ling Tu2, Su-Wei Chang3

  • 1Division of Allergy, Asthma, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Community Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, Keelung, Taiwan.

Plos One
|June 4, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Vitamin D deficiency is common in Taiwanese children, with over 50% showing deficiency. This study found no link between vitamin D levels and allergic diseases in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Nutritional Science
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Vitamin D deficiency is globally prevalent.
  • Emerging evidence suggests a potential link between vitamin D status and allergic conditions.
  • Suboptimal vitamin D levels are a growing public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of suboptimal vitamin D status in Asian children.
  • To investigate the relationship between vitamin D status and allergic diseases (asthma, rhinitis, eczema) and atopy.
  • To assess the association with total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels.

Main Methods:

  • The study included 1315 children aged 5-18 years from the Prediction of Allergies in Taiwanese CHildren (PATCH) study.
  • Data collected included questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D].
  • Serum total and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were also measured.

Main Results:

  • The mean serum 25(OH)D level was 20.4 ng/mL.
  • Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) was observed in 51.0% of children, and insufficiency (<30 ng/mL) in 90.3%.
  • Low serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with older age, female gender, higher BMI, winter/spring seasons, and passive smoking. No association was found between vitamin D status and allergic diseases or atopy after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions:

  • Suboptimal vitamin D levels are highly prevalent in Taiwanese children, indicating a significant public health issue.
  • The study provides epidemiological evidence refuting a link between vitamin D status and allergic diseases or atopy in this pediatric population.
  • These findings highlight the need for further research into vitamin D supplementation strategies and their impact on allergic conditions in children.
Abstract

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