Impact of season and diet on vitamin D status of African American and Caucasian children

Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2011 Jun;50(6):493-502. doi: 10.1177/0009922810397334.

Abstract

Seasonal variation of vitamin D status and adequacy of dietary vitamin D and impact of race on maintaining vitamin D sufficiency was assessed in 140 healthy 6- to 12-year-old African American (AA) and Caucasian (C) children residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during summer and winter. Vitamin D insufficiency was not rare in either group (AA vs C, summer, 17.2% vs 14.3%, nonsignificant; winter, 34.1% vs 32.5%, nonsignificant) despite a mean dietary intake of vitamin D above the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended intake (400 IU/d; AA vs C, summer, 421 vs 456 IU/d, nonsignificant; winter, 507 vs 432 IU/d, nonsignificant). Race/season and dietary vitamin D were predictors of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations. However, dietary vitamin D influenced 25(OH)D only in Caucasians during winter. Current AAP recommended daily intake for vitamin D is inadequate for maintaining vitamin D sufficiency in children.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Black or African American / ethnology
  • Child
  • Diet*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pennsylvania / epidemiology
  • Seasons*
  • Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vitamin D / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / ethnology*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / etiology*
  • White People / ethnology

Substances

  • Vitamin D
  • 25-hydroxyvitamin D