title: Vitamin D status and its predictors in New Zealand aged-care residents eligible for a government-funded universal vitamin D supplementation programme.
abstract: The provision of prescribed vitamin D to all aged-care residents has been implemented in New Zealand as part of a government-led falls prevention programme. To our knowledge, there has been no evaluation of this universal programme on vitamin D status and functional and health outcomes. Thus, we aimed to determine 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations and their predictors in aged-care residents across the country and to investigate whether the government-funded programme was associated with adequate vitamin D status.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional survey of sociodemographic, biochemical, anthropometric, dietary and health characteristics. Blood samples were analysed for serum 25(OH)D and other biochemical measures. Multiple regression was used to examine predictors of vitamin D status.
  
  
  
  Sixteen residential aged-care facilities throughout New Zealand.
  
  
  
  Residents aged ≥60 years with residency duration >12 weeks (n 309).
  
  
  
  Mean serum 25(OH)D was 89·9 (95 % CI 85·2, 94·5) nmol/l and monthly supplements (1250 µg (50 000 IU)) were taken by 75 % of all residents. Of those not taking a funded supplement, 65·3 % had serum 25(OH)D 125 nmol/l.
  
  
  
  Residents taking supplemental vitamin D had adequate vitamin D status; however monitoring of long-term supplementation should be considered, due to the high proportion of participants with high serum 25(OH)D levels.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Human Nutrition,University of Otago,PO Box 56,Dunedin 9054,New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sue O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: MacDonell
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Human Nutrition,University of Otago,PO Box 56,Dunedin 9054,New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jody C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Human Nutrition,University of Otago,PO Box 56,Dunedin 9054,New Zealand.
authors.forename: Michelle J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Medicine/School of Physiotherapy,Dunedin School of Medicine,University of Otago,Dunedin,New Zealand.
authors.forename: Debra L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Human Nutrition,University of Otago,PO Box 56,Dunedin 9054,New Zealand.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2276-6205
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Houghton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D063105:Food Assistance; D006076:Government; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D009520:New Zealand; D009752:Nutritional Status; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D; Aged; Aged-care; Elderly; New Zealand; Nursing home; Supplementation; Vitamin D