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Vitamin D deficiency is a concern for Asian infants over 1 year old. Fortifying chapati flour is suggested as an effective strategy to improve vitamin D intake in this age group.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health Interventions
Background:
- Infant nutrition and vitamin D status are critical for healthy development.
- Dietary patterns significantly influence nutrient intake, including vitamin D.
- Food fortification is a key public health strategy to combat micronutrient deficiencies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess vitamin D intake in Asian infants aged 6 and 18 months.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of food fortification in preventing vitamin D deficiency.
- To identify optimal strategies for improving vitamin D status in vulnerable infant populations.
Main Methods:
- Dietary assessment of vitamin D intake in infants.
- Comparison of vitamin D intake between different age groups and ethnic diets.
- Analysis of vitamin D deficiency symptoms in relation to dietary intake.
Main Results:
- Infants at 6 months had adequate vitamin D intake, primarily from fortified milks and cereals.
- Infants at 18 months consumed predominantly Asian diets with significantly lower vitamin D intake.
- A higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency symptoms was observed in 18-month-old infants.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin D deficiency prevention strategies should target children over 1 year old.
- Fortifying chapati flour is proposed as a highly effective method to increase vitamin D intake.
- Tailored food fortification approaches are necessary to address specific community dietary patterns.
Abstract:
Vitamin D intakes of infants aged 6 and 18 months from the Asian community in Southhall, Middlesex, were studied to assess the effectiveness of food fortification as a means of preventing vitamin D deficiency. Infants aged 6 months generally had similar diets to white children of the same age and had reasonable vitamin D intakes owing to consumption of fortified dried milks and cereals, reinforced by health visitors and baby clinics. Children aged 18 months, however, ate largely Asian diets and had much lower vitamin D intakes than the 6-month-old group with a corresponding increase in symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. Hence new measures for preventing vitamin D deficiency should probably be aimed at children aged over 1 year. The results of this survey suggest that fortifying chapati flour would be the most effective method of doing this.