Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Military Dependent Infants in Hawai'i

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency among military dependent infants in the state of Hawai'i. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Tripler Army Medical Center and included samples from 30 healthy, full-term infants around 4 months of age. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured, and caregivers completed questionnaires about the infant's diet, vitamin D supplementation, race/ethnicity, and military sponsor pay grade. Results revealed that 90% of infants had sufficient vitamin D levels (>20 ng/mL), with 3% deficient and 7% insufficient. The prevalence of deficiency and insufficiency was comparable to studies conducted in other regions of the United States. This is the first study to investigate infant vitamin D status in Hawai'i using serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Vitamin D status varied significantly by race/ethnicity. The average vitamin D level of Black or African American infants was in the insufficient range and was significantly lower than that observed in White/Caucasian and Hispanic infants. Notably, several exclusively breastfed infants who did not receive vitamin D supplementation had sufficient vitamin D levels. While study limitations include a small sample size and cross-sectional design, the findings warrant continued investigation into the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency among military dependent infants in Hawai'i. Future research should explore the influence of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status on infant vitamin D levels in Hawai'i and consider the impact of maternal vitamin D status, especially in exclusively breastfed infants. This could lead to more targeted vitamin D supplementation recommendations in clinical practice and potentially improve resource allocation.