title: Seasonal and geographical variations in the growth rate of infants in China receiving increasing dosages of vitamin D supplements.
abstract: In theory, sunshine exposure is sufficient to maintain normal vitamin D concentrations for the optimal growth of newborn infants. To determine whether season of birth, latitude (north v. south) and increasing dosages of vitamin D supplements would influence the growth rate for the first 6 months of life, 255 healthy fall-and spring-born infants from two northern and two southern cities in China were randomly assigned to receive either 100, 200, or 400 IU of vitamin D a day. The study showed that season of birth and dose of vitamin D did not affect the growth rate of infants born in the same latitude, but a significant difference was found in the gain in length over the 6-month period between infants from the north and infants from the south (P = 0.0001). Regional differences among the Chinese people, other than sunshine exposure, may have influenced the difference in length gain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, College of Education, University of Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Feliciano
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Specker
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falciglia
authors.forename: Q M
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Shui
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: X C
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002681:China; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012621:Seasons; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D