[Local Data] Vitamin D status among infants in Hong Kong from a pilot study

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General Nutrition Paediatrics Public Health Healthy Eating & Hydration Malnutrition
[Local Data] Vitamin D status among infants in Hong Kong from a pilot study

Vitamin D status has been linked to various health conditions and this local study aimed to reveal vitamin D deficiency among infants in Hong Kong.

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Background

  • Vitamin D insufficiency among pediatric populations has been an issue over the globe
  • This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among local healthy infants

Study Design

  • A single-center pilot study

Subjects

  • 269 healthy Chinese infants in the postnatal wards of the Prince of Wales Hospital were enrolled

Method

  • At 3 months of age,
    • Infants’ serum vitamin D level was measured
    • Questionnaires were filled
  • Infants were excluded from analysis if they had health problems like congenital anomalies and malabsorption; they were taking medicines interfering vitamin D level; or if their mothers had been treated with vitamin D within 6 month of the current gestation

 

Key Findings

  • 155 (75 males and 80 females) out of 269 infants completed the study
  • No infant was supplemented with vitamin D
  • The mean serum vitamin D level at 3 months was 58 nmol/L (Interquartile range, 32-75)
  • 33.5% of the infants (52 out of 155) had vitamin D deficiency (serum vitamin D level < 50 nmol/L)
    • Severe deficiency (serum vitamin D level < 25 nmol/L) was noted in 21.9% of the infants (34 out of 155)
  • Exclusive breastfeeding is related to vitamin D deficiency while the duration of breastfeeding is inversely correlated with the serum vitamin D status at 3 months

Conclusion

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among local health infants and exclusive breastfeeding is a key factor related to vitamin D status


Link to the full article: http://www.hkmj.org/system/files/hkm1803sp3p32.pdf

 

Reference

Chan KC, Tam WH, Chan MH, Chan RS, Li AM. Vitamin D deficiency among healthy infants in Hong Kong: a pilot study. Hong Kong Med J. 2018;24 Suppl 3(3):32-35.

WYE-EM-353-SEP-18