title: Vitamin D-containing supplements for children between 1-3 years of age: are they essential for bone health?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aim to evaluate how vitamin D-containing supplements affect the vitamin D status of children 1-3 years old and to assess the variation of the vitamin D concentrations across different seasons.
  This retrospective study included a review of medical reports of 1035 patients (aged 1-3 years) who presented to our hospital between October 2011 and October 2013. The children were divided into 3 groups: Group 1: those supplemented with vitamin D₃ (400 IU/day), Group 2: those supplemented with multivitamins, which included 200-400 IU/day of vitamin D₂ or D₃, and Group ₃, the controls: those not supplemented with vitamin D. The groups were compared as to their biochemical findings and variation of vitamin D status with over four seasons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gender distribution was not statistically different between the three groups (p=0.38). The children who had taken vitamin D-containing supplements had significantly higher vitamin D levels compared with the children who were given no vitamin D supplementation (p<0.001). Children with no vitamin D supplementation had significantly lower calcium and phosphorus levels compared with Groups 1 and 2. Vitamin D levels were affected by vitamin D supplementation (f=16.125, p<0.001) but not by season (f=0.699, p=0.650).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The children aged 1-3 years who did not receive vitamin D-containing supplements had insufficient vitamin D and low levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D levels were affected by vitamin D supplementation but not by season.
authors.forename: Emel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Torun
authors.forename: Feyza Ustabas
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Kahraman
authors.forename: Nurcan Keskin
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Osmanoğlu
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kucukkoc
authors.forename: Tugrul
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Donmez
authors.forename: Suera
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Orucoglu
authors.forename: Ilker Tolga
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Ozgen
mesh_terms: D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D