[Vitamin D in nutrition of young Icelandic children].
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to study vitamin D intake in young Icelandic children.


METHODS
Subjects were randomly selected infants (n=180, 77% participated) and 2-year-olds (n=140, 68% participated). These two groups were studied again at the age of 6 years (71% participated). The intake was assessed by weighed food records. Vitamin D intake was calculated using the Icelandic Nutrition Database and SPSS used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Characteristic for vitamin D intake was a wide range of intake. More than quarter of the infants and half of the two and six year olds received less than 50% of recommended daily intake. The frequency of fish liver oil consumption or use of other vitamin D supplement was 40-68%, lowest among the 6-year-olds. Vitamin D intake of those consuming fish liver oil or vitamin D supplements was 10,4 microg/day on average for infants, 9,5 microg/dag for the two year olds and 12,3 microg/dag for the six year olds, four or five times that of those not consuming any vitamin D supplements (2,7 microg/day, 2,1 microg/day and 2,7 microg/day for infants, 2-year-olds and six-year-olds, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The results show that children who do not consume fish liver oils or vitamin D supplements get only one quarter or less of recommended daily intake for vitamin D from their diet. Vitamin D is important for normal function and growth of the body and its role for bone development is well known. It is important to give detailed recommendations on vitamin D intake for infants and children and ensure the compliance to the recommended intake to avoid too low and too high intake.
Thórsdóttir
Inga
I
Laboratory of nutrition, University of Iceland/Iceland University Hospital, Eiríksgoetu 29, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland. ingathor@landspitali.is
Gunnarsdóttir
Ingibjörg
I
D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015930:Diet Records; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D008297:Male; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control
D005395:Fish Oils; D014807:Vitamin D