25-hydroxyvitamin D is differentially associated with calcium intakes of Northern, Central, and Southern European adolescents: Results from the HELENA study.
OBJECTIVE
Adolescents in the European Union (EU) exhibit a higher prevalence of vitamin D (VitD) deficiency than other age groups. The degree to which sunlight exposure 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations depends on a variety of factors, including diet. Nevertheless, the relationship between calcium and VitD intake and 25(OH)D concentrations has not been previously studied among adolescents living in different EU countries and consequently in different latitudes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether calcium and VitD intakes are differentially associated with 25(OH)D in adolescents from northern, central and southern EU countries.


METHODS
The present analysis included 178 adolescents from northern EU countries, 251 from central EU countries, and 212 from southern EU countries (ages 12.5-17.5 y). Mixed model linear regression analyses stratified by geographic location were used to verify associations between calcium and VitD intake and 25(OH)D concentrations. Age, Tanner stage, seasonality, energy intake, and supplement use were entered as covariates.


RESULTS
Only the calcium intake of central EU adolescents was positively associated with 25(OH)D (α = 0.005; 95% confidence interval, 0.007-0.028).


CONCLUSIONS
Further longitudinal studies should confirm these observations, as this could be important for future public health interventions aiming to increase 25(OH)D concentrations in adolescents.
Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
Cristina
C
Julian
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; ImFine Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences-INEF, Technical University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Marcela
M
González-Gross
ImFine Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences-INEF, Technical University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Bonn, Germany.
Christina
C
Breidenassel
Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
Theodora
T
Mouratidou
Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
Germán
G
Vicente-Rodriguez
Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Sport and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.
Luis
L
Gracia-Marco
Crea-Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Rome.
Marika
M
Ferrari
Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Kurt
K
Widhalm
Department of Paediatrics, Medical Faculty-University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
Dénes
D
Molnár
Preventive Medicine & Nutrition Unit, University of Crete School of Medicine, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Anthony
A
Kafatos
CHU Lille, University Lille 2, Lille, France.
Frederic
F
Gottrand
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
Yannis
Y
Manios
Department of Medical Physiology School of Medicine, Granada University, Granada.
Alejandro
A
de la O
Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University Bonn, Dortmund, Germany.
Mathilde
M
Kersting
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Stefaan
S
De Henauw
International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.
Marc J
MJ
Gunter
Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain.
Luis A
LA
Moreno
International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France. Electronic address: huybrechtsi@iarc.fr.
Inge
I
Huybrechts
D000293:Adolescent; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D012621:Seasons; D013048:Specimen Handling; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044465:White People
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
Europe; Latitude; Status; Vitamin D