title: Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in international adoptees within the first 6 months after adoption.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D deficiency impairs bone health and development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in pediatric international adoptees.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort (N = 189) study from a single international adoption clinic was conducted. Total 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] level was measured at the initial clinical assessment (within 6 months of adoption). Vitamin D deficiency was defined as a 25(OH)D <20 ng/mL (<8 nmol/L) and insufficiency as 25(OH)D <30 ng/mL (<12 nmol/L).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vitamin D deficiency was diagnosed in 8% and insufficiency in 27% of the cohort. Lower body mass index and longer time in an institution were associated with vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency independent of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D insufficiency was common in our cohort of international adoptees. The significance of vitamin D insufficiency on bone development during the typical "catch-up" growth following international adoption needs to be determined.
authors.affiliation: 1University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Kimara L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Gustafson
authors.forename: Judith K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Eckerle
authors.forename: Cynthia R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: Lynda E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Polgreen
mesh_terms: D000300:Adoption; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007391:International Cooperation; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: bone; global health; pediatrics