The relationship between nutrition and micronutrients in healthy Turkish infants and young children

A healthy diet is important at every stage of life. We aimed to determine the serum vitamin D and iron, folic acid, and vitamin B₁₂ levels in healthy children younger than 48 months and to investigate the relationship between nutrition and micronutrients in children of this age.

In this observational study children who presented to the Pediatrics Clinic of our hospital during the period 2015-2022 were included. Vitamin D and other nutritional parameters (serum folate, vitamin B₁₂, iron, ferritin) were evaluated from the study participants' serum samples during the outpatient clinic visit (jaundice check-up, pre-circumcision surgery, etc.).

Overall, 766 cases were included in the study. Vitamin D was higher in the group that was fed only breast milk (p = 0.019), and vitamin D insufficiency was statistically higher in the formula group (p = 0.015). Hemoglobin levels were significantly higher in the formula group (p = 0.007). The folic acid level was found to be normal in all infants, and was higher in formula-fed infants (p = 0.012). Vitamin B₁₂ was found to be significantly higher in infants fed with formula (p = 0.001). Vitamin D deficiency was most common in infants aged 25-48 months (p < 0.001). Similarly, vitamin D insufficiency (12-20 ng/mL) was detected in infants aged between 25 and 48 months (p < 0.001).

Micronutrients such as calcium, folic acid, iron, vitamin D, and iodine are critical in early fetal development from pregnancy onward. It is vital to raise awareness of this issue for mothers, starting from pregnancy, and for mothers to feed their babies more carefully in the first years of life.