Dietary intake of vitamin D in obese children aged 1-3 years

Obese children are predisposed to vitamin D deficiency. Most of the findings suggest that requirement for vitamin D is increased in obese children due to this vitamin sequestration in adipose tissue.

The aim of the study was to evaluate dietary intake of vitamin D in children with simple obesity in relation to nutritional standards.

The study included 73 children aged 1-3 years: 38 with simple obesity (group I) and 35 non-obese ones (group II - control). The inclusion criterion for the obese group was BMI z-score > +2.0, for the control group BMI z-score between -1.0 and +1.0.The intake of vitamin D was estimated using the Dieta 5.0 software on the basis of 3-days dietary record. Outcomes were related to nutritional standards. Differences in intake of energy and nutrients between both groups were assessed using the Mann-Whitney test (statistical significance was set at p = 0.05).

Vitamin D intake in both groups was below the nutritional standards (10 μg/400 IU). Median values / interquartile ranges of results were 2.0 / 1.3-5.9 μg and 4.0 / 1.1-7.6 μg daily, for obese and non-obese children, respectively. The risk of deficient vitamin D intake was observed in 94.7% of obese children and in 82.4% of control group. The main dietary source of vitamin D in both groups was growing-up milk/Junior formula. The median intake of energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates in the obese children were significantly higher than in the control group (p<0.05).

In obese children aged 1-3 years adequate dietary intake of vitamin D was not achieved. Similarly, the intake of vitamin D by normal weight children was lower than recommended. Consequently, it is necessary to provide products rich in vitamin D in the diet of toddlers, particularly obese.