Sunlight Exposure vs Oral Vitamin D Supplementation for Prevention of Vitamin D Deficiency in Infancy: A Randomized...

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Endocrinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Vitamin D deficiency is a global concern in infants, particularly those who are breastfed.
• Achieving adequate vitamin D levels is crucial for infant bone health and overall development.
• Sunlight exposure and oral supplementation are common strategies to ensure sufficient vitamin D levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of sunlight exposure versus oral vitamin D3 supplementation in achieving vitamin D sufficiency in infants.
• To assess the rates of vitamin D deficiency and rickets in both intervention groups.

Main Methods:

• An open-label randomized controlled trial was conducted with 80 breastfed infants aged 6-8 weeks.
• Infants were randomized to receive either daily oral vitamin D3 (400 IU/day) or controlled sunlight exposure (40% body surface area for 30 minutes/week) until 6 months of age.
• Primary outcome was vitamin D sufficiency (>20 ng/mL), with secondary outcomes including deficiency (<12 ng/mL) and rickets.

Main Results:

• Oral vitamin D3 supplementation significantly increased vitamin D sufficiency from 10.8% to 35.1% (P=0.01), while sunlight exposure showed no significant change (13.9%).
• Vitamin D sufficiency was significantly higher in the vitamin D3 group compared to the sunlight group (P=0.037).
• Compliance rates were higher for oral supplementation (72.9%) than for sunlight exposure (59.7%), and two infants in the sunlight group developed rickets.

Conclusions:

• Oral vitamin D3 supplementation is more effective than sunlight exposure in achieving vitamin D sufficiency in breastfed infants up to 6 months of age.
• Better compliance with oral vitamin D3 supplementation contributes to its superior efficacy.
• Supplementation is recommended for ensuring adequate vitamin D levels in infants.