title: Vitamin D status in Irish children and adolescents: value of fortification and supplementation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D has important skeletal and extraskeletal roles but those living at northerly latitudes are at risk of suboptimal levels because of reduced sunlight exposure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the vitamin D status of Irish children and identify factors predictive of vitamin D status.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cross sectional study was undertaken over a 12 month period. Two hundred and fifty two healthy children attending for minor medical or surgical procedures were recruited. All had 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), parathyroid hormone and bone profiles measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (standard deviation) for 25OHD was 51(25) nmol/L (20.4 (10) ng/mL). Forty-five percent had levels >50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL). The following variables were significantly associated with 25OHD levels >50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL): sample drawn in April-September, use of vitamin D supplements, consumption of formula milk, and non-African ethnicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than half of the children in this study had 25OHD levels less than 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL). Vitamin D status was significantly improved by augmented oral vitamin D intake.
authors.affiliation: Children's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland aoifecar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Aoife
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.affiliation: Children's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Chike
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Onwuneme
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Malachi J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.affiliation: Children's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Philip D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Mayne
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Eleanor J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.affiliation: Children's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Nuala P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015519:Bone Density; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012621:Seasons; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: Ireland; adolescent; child; vitamin D