Vitamin D deficiency is common and is associated with overweight in Mexican children aged 1–11 years

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveTo assess vitamin D dietary sources, intake and 25-hydroxyvitamin D status and their association with individual and sociodemographic characteristics in Mexican children.DesignData obtained from 2695 children aged 1–11 years from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (2012) were analysed. Diet was assessed by a 141-item FFQ. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D was measured by a chemiluminescent assay.ResultsMean vitamin D intake was 3·38 (se 0·09) µg/d (135·2 (se 3·6) IU/d) among pre-school children and 2·85 (se 0·06) µg/d (114·0 (se 2·4) IU/d) in school-age children. Milk accounted for 64·4 % of vitamin D intake in pre-school children and 54·7 % in school-age children. Vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D<50 nmol/l) was 25·9 % in pre-schoolers and 36·6 % in school-age children. Overweight/obese school-age children had a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency compared with normal-weight children (OR=2·23; 95 % CI 1·36, 3·66; P<0·05).ConclusionsVitamin D intakes are low in Mexican children, and milk is the main source of the vitamin. Vitamin D deficiency is common and associated with overweight in school-age children.