Vitamin D status in pre-school children in rural Nepal. Issue 3 (1st April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Avagyan, Diana; Neupane, Sudan Prasad; Gundersen, Thomas E; Madar, Ahmed A
• Is Part Of: Public health nutrition. Volume 19:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 470
• Page End: 476
• Publication Date: 2015-04-01
• Subjects: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, -- Dried blood spots, -- Vitamin D status, -- Young children, -- Breast-feeding, -- Nutritional status, -- Nepal; Nutrition -- Periodicals; Nutrition policy -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; 613.2
• DOI: 10.1017/S136898001500083X
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-9800

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: Vitamin D plays a major role in Ca and bone metabolism, and its extraskeletal functions are being appraised. Although inadequate vitamin D concentrations have been reported in populations worldwide, too little is known about vitamin D status and its determinants among children in developing countries. We aimed to determine vitamin D status and its determinants in Nepalese children of pre-school age. Design: A community-based, cross-sectional study. Setting: Rural Nepal at latitude 27·39°N. Subjects: Healthy children ( n 280) aged 12–60 months, selected randomly from the records of a vitamin A supplementation programme. Blood samples were collected using the dried blood spot technique and analysed for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (s-25(OH)D) concentration using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Ca intake and background variables were assessed with a structured questionnaire. Results: Hypovitaminosis D, defined as s-25(OH)D concentration less than 50 nmol/l, was found in 91·1 % of the children. S-25(OH)D concentration was not related to gender, socio-economic indicators, sun exposure or nutritional status. Currently breast-fed children had higher s-25(OH)D concentrations (36·4 (sd 13·2) nmol/l) than those who were not (28·6 (sd 9·8) nmol/l, P <0·001). Adjustment for sociodemographic factors did not alter the results. Conclusion: There is widespread vitamin D deficiency among pre-school children in a rural area of Nepal. In our sample, sociodemographic factors did not affect the vitamin D status of children, but prolonged breast-feeding was associated with higher s-25(OH)D concentrations. Further research is required to investigate the health consequences of poor vitamin D status for this population.