title: Vitamin D status in Montréal preschoolers is satisfactory despite low vitamin D intake.
abstract: The 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey reported vitamin D status in a representative sample of Canadians (6-79 y); however, children <6 y were not assessed. Our objective was to measure vitamin D intake from food and supplements, sun exposure, and biological vitamin D status of children ages 2 through 5 y in Montréal (latitude 45°N). Preschoolers (n = 508) were recruited between June 2010 and 2011 in a random sample of licensed daycares in the regions of greater Montréal, Canada in a cross-sectional study. The total plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration was measured using a chemiluminescence assay (Liaison, Diasorin). Dietary intake was assessed during one 24-h period plus a 30-d FFQ. Socioeconomic, demographic, anthropometry, and sun exposure data were collected. Plasma 25(OH)D was ≥50 nmol/L in 88% of children, whereas 49.4% had concentrations ≥75 nmol/L during the 1-y study. Almost 95% of preschoolers had vitamin D intakes less than the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), and 4.8% of preschoolers ≤3.9 y and 25.9% of preschoolers ≥4 y had calcium intakes less than the EAR. Plasma 25(OH)D was different across age, income, sun index, milk intake, and dietary and supplemental vitamin D intake tertiles. Despite vitamin D intakes less than the EAR, the vitamin D status of Montréal preschoolers attending daycare is mostly satisfactory even in winter, suggesting that the EAR value is too high in the context of typical exogenous intakes of vitamin D in North America.
authors.affiliation: School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Jessy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: El Hayek
authors.forename: Thu Trang
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Finch
authors.forename: Tom J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Hazell
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jean-Philippe
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Vanstone
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agellon
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodd
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rauch
authors.forename: Hope A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Weiler
mesh_terms: D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2 / Q000097:blood*; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood*; D002118:Calcium / Q000172:deficiency; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D014807:Vitamin D; D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2; D002112:Calcifediol; D002118:Calcium