Non-Western immigrant children have lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D than children from Western families. Issue 7 (24th May 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Omand, Jessica A; Darling, Pauline B; Parkin, Patricia C; Birken, Catherine S; Khovratovich, Marina; Thorpe, Kevin E; Carsley, Sarah; DeGroot, Julie; Maguire, Jonathon L; on behalf of the TARGet Kids! Collaboration
• Is Part Of: Public health nutrition. Volume 17:Issue 7(2014)
• Page Start: 1547
• Page End: 1554
• Publication Date: 2013-05-24
• Subjects: Nutrition -- Periodicals; Nutrition policy -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; 613.2
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980013001328
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-9800

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="abs1" sec-type="general"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To determine if children aged 1–6 years from non-Western immigrant families have lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels than children from Western-born families and examine which factors influence this relationship.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs2" sec-type="general"> <title>Design</title> <p>Cross-sectional study.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs3" sec-type="general"> <title>Setting</title> <p>Toronto, Canada.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs4" sec-type="subjects"> <title>Subjects</title> <p>Healthy children (<italic>n</italic> 1540) recruited through the TARGet Kids! practice-based research network. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations of non-Western immigrants were compared with those of children from Western-born families. Children from non-Western immigrant families were defined as those born, or their parents were born, outside a Western country. Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses were used to identify factors which might influence this relationship.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs5" sec-type="results"> <title>Results</title> <p>Median age was 36 months, 51 % were male, 86 % had 'light' skin pigmentation, 55 % took vitamin D supplements, mean cow's milk intake was 1·8 cups/d and 27 % were non-Western immigrants. Median serum 25(OH)D concentration was 83 nmol/l, with 5 % having 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/l. Univariable analysis revealed that non-Western immigrant children had serum 25(OH)D lower by 4 (95 % CI 1·3, 8·0) nmol/l (<italic>P</italic> = 0·006) and increased odds of 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/l (OR = 1·9; 95 % CI 1·3, 2·9). After adjustment for known vitamin D determinants the observed difference attenuated to 0·04 (95 % CI −4·8, 4·8) nmol/l (<italic>P</italic> = 0·99), with higher cow's milk intake (<italic>P</italic> < 0·0001), vitamin D supplementation (<italic>P</italic> < 0·0001), summer season (<italic>P</italic> = 0·008) and increased age (<italic>P</italic> = 0·04) being statistically significant covariates. Vitamin D supplementation was the strongest explanatory factor of the observed difference.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs6" sec-type="conclusion"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>There is an association between non-Western immigration and lower 25(OH)D in early childhood. This difference appears related to known vitamin D determinants, primarily vitamin D supplementation, representing opportunities for intervention.</p> </sec> </abstract>