title: Calcium and vitamin D intakes in children: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Calcium (Ca(2+)) and vitamin D (VitD) play an important role in child health. We evaluated the daily intake of Ca(2+) and VitD in healthy children. Moreover, we demonstrate the efficacy of Ca(2+) and VitD supplementation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Daily Ca(2+) and VitD intake was evaluated in consecutive healthy children through a validated questionnaire. Subjects with <70% of dietary reference intakes (DRIs) of Ca(2+) and VitD were invited to participate in a prospective randomized trial with 2 groups of nutritional intervention: Group 1, dietary counseling aiming to optimize daily Ca(2+) and VitD intake plus administration of a commercially available Ca(2+) and VitD supplementation product; Group 2, dietary counseling alone. At the enrollment (T0) and after 4 months (T1) serum 25(OH) Vitamin D levels were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We evaluated 150 healthy children (male 50%, mean age 10 years); at baseline a low VitD intake was observed in all subjects (median 0.79 μg/die, IQR 1.78; range 0.01-5.02); this condition was associated with Ca(2+) intake <70% of the DRIs in 82 subjects (55%). At baseline serum 25(OH)D levels were low (<30 ng/ml) in all study subjects and after 4 months of nutritional intervention, a normalization of serum 25(OH)D levels (≥30 ng/ml) was observed in all children in Group 1 and in only one subject in Group 2 [Group 1: T1 33.8 ng/ml (IQR 2.5) vs Group 2: T1 24.5 ng/ml (IQR 5.2), p <0.001].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adequate Ca(2+) and VitD intakes are difficult to obtain through dietary counseling alone in pediatric subjects. Oral supplementation with of Ca(2+) and VitD is a reliable strategy to prevent this condition.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The study was registered in Clinical Trials Protocol Registration System (ID number: NCT01638494).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cosenza
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pezzella
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nocerino
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Costanzo
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coruzzo
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Passariello
authors.forename: Ludovica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Savoia
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Puente
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Terrin
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berni Canani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D037001:Directive Counseling; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D002118:Calcium