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[Adherence to vitamin D supplementation and determinant factors during the first year of life]
Insights
Vitamin D supplementation is recommended for breastfed infants in Chile, but adherence is low. Maternal forgetfulness and the number of children are key factors impacting supplementation success.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutritional Science
Context:
- Vitamin D deficiency is a concern in breastfed infants under one year.
- Chile lacks adherence data for vitamin D supplementation policies in this demographic.
- Ensuring adequate vitamin D is crucial for infant health and development.
Purpose:
- To assess adherence to vitamin D supplementation in Chilean infants under one year.
- To identify factors influencing adherence to vitamin D supplementation.
- To inform public health strategies for improving infant nutrition.
Summary:
- A cross-sectional study in Chile evaluated vitamin D supplementation adherence in 170 breastfed infants.
- Good adherence was observed in 68.9% of infants, with maternal forgetfulness being the primary barrier.
- Higher parity (number of children) was a risk factor for poor adherence.
Impact:
- Vitamin D supplementation coverage is high in Chile, yet adherence requires improvement.
- Targeted parental education on managing supplementation schedules is necessary.
- Healthcare providers should identify and address risk factors like maternal parity during consultations.
Introduction:
Breastfed infants under one year of age may not get enough vitamin D; therefore a vitamin supplement is needed. The adherence to this policy has not yet been evaluated in Chile.
Objective:
To evaluate the adherence to vitamin D supplementation in children less than one year old and the determinant factors involved.
Patients And Method:
A cross-sectional study was carried out in three Catholic University Health Network centers. Breastfed infants under one year of age were included in the study. Their parents/guardians filled out a questionnaire about adherence to supplementation and its determinant factors.
Results:
170 infants were recruited. 164 of them received supplementation, with a good adherence of 68.9%. The main reason for non-adherence was due to maternal forgetfulness. The identified risk factor for poor adherence was the number of maternal children.
Conclusions:
Vitamin D supplementation in Chile reaches high levels, but its adherence is poor. More education to parents on ways to avoid forgetting the supplement is needed as well as on identifying risk factors during medical consultations.
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