The Relationship between Vitamin D Status and Allergic Diseases in New Zealand Preschool Children.
Recent research on vitamin D in young children has expanded from bone development to exploring immunomodulatory effects. Our aim was to investigate the relationship of vitamin D status and allergic diseases in preschool-aged children in New Zealand. Dried capillary blood spots were collected from 1329 children during late-winter to early-spring for 25(OH)D measurement by LC-MS/MS. Caregivers completed a questionnaire about their child's recent medical history. Analysis was by multivariable logistic regression. Mean 25(OH)D concentration was 52(SD19) nmol/L, with 7% of children <25 nmol/L and 49% <50 nmol/L. Children with 25(OH)D concentrations ≥75 nmol/L (n = 29) had a two-fold increased risk for parent-report of doctor-diagnosed food allergy compared to children with 25(OH)D 50-74.9 nmol/L (OR = 2.21, 1.33-3.68, p = 0.002). No associations were present between 25(OH)D concentration and presence of parent-reported eczema, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis or atopic asthma. Vitamin D deficiency was not associated with several allergic diseases in these New Zealand preschool children. In contrast, high 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with a two-fold increased risk of parental-report food allergy. This increase supports further research into the association between vitamin D status and allergic disease in preschool children.
School of Food and Nutrition, Massey University, Auckland 0632, New Zealand. C.t.cairncross@massey.ac.nz.
Carolyn
C
Cairncross
Department of Paediatrics, University of Auckland and General Paediatrics, Auckland 1010, New Zealand. cc.grant@auckland.ac.nz.|Starship Children's Hospital, Aucklan 1023, New Zealand. cc.grant@auckland.ac.nz.
Cameron
C
Grant
CSIRO Food and Nutrition, Adelaide 5000, Australia. welma.stonehouse@csiro.au.
Welma
W
Stonehouse
School of Food and Nutrition, Massey University, Auckland 0632, New Zealand. c.conlon@massey.ac.nz.
Cath
C
Conlon
Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Auckland 0632, New Zealand. b.mcdonald@massey.ac.nz.
Barry
B
McDonald
Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand. lisa.houghton@otago.ac.nz.
Lisa
L
Houghton
Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia. d.eyles@uq.edu.au.|Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Brisbane 4072, Australia. d.eyles@uq.edu.au.
Darryl
D
Eyles
Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA. ccamargo@partners.org.
Carlos A
CA
Camargo
School of Food and Nutrition, Massey University, Auckland 0632, New Zealand. j.coad@massey.ac.nz.
Jane
J
Coad
School of Food and Nutrition, Massey University, Auckland 0632, New Zealand. p.r.vonhurst@massey.ac.nz.
Pamela
P
von Hurst
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D012621:Seasons; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency
D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
New Zealand; allergic disease; children; vitamin D