Effects of vitamin D fortified milk on vitamin D status in Mongolian school age children.
Mongolians are at high risk for vitamin D deficiency because of their residence at northern latitude, reduced exposure to UV-B rays during the winter months, and a low availability of vitamin-D fortified foods. We performed a pilot study in May 2005 to estimate the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in Mongolian school age children and to determine the feasibility of conducting a longer and larger trial with fortified milk and vitamin D supplements. In a group of 46 Mongolian children (22 girls and 24 boys) aged 9-11 years, 76% (35) had levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) below 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL) and 32% had levels below 37 nmol/L (15 ng/mL). After a month of consuming 710 ml of vitamin D-fortified (total 300 IU or 7.5 microg) milk daily, only 3 of the children were below 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL) and none below 37 nmol/L (15 ng/mL). These results reveal prevalent and serious 25(OH)D deficiency among Mongolian prepubertal school age children that appears to be ameliorated by a month of consuming approximately 7.5 microg of vitamin D3 in fortified milk.
Ganmaa
Davaasambuua
D
Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. gdavaasa@hsph.harvard.edu
Tserendolgor
Uush
U
Frazier
Lindsay
L
Nakamoto
Erika
E
Jargalsaikhan
Nyamjav
N
Rich-Edwards
Janet
J
D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D008986:Mongolia / Q000453:epidemiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy
D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D