Vitamin D insufficiency common in newborns, children and pregnant women living in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

• Published in: Maternal & Child Nutrition
• Main Authors: Newhook, Leigh A., Sloka, Scott, Grant, Marie, Randell, Edward, Kovacs, Christopher S., Twells, Laurie K.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2008
• Subjects: Short Communications; Canada; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6860749/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19292753; https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-8709.2008.00157.x

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with poor bone health, colorectal cancer, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Two national health‐related societies in Canada have made recommendations for vitamin D supplementation, yet little research has been reported on the vitamin D status of Canadians. Lifestyle changes, such as sunscreen use, spending less time outdoors and insufficient intake of vitamin D‐containing foods as well as northern latitude, may be affecting human vitamin D status. A cross‐sectional analysis of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D [25‐(OH)D] was conducted in pregnant women, newborns (umbilical cord blood) and children. Samples were analysed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Published ranges for 25‐(OH)D were used to determine vitamin D status. The prevalence of 25‐(OH)D deficiency for the three groups studied revealed most concentrations in the 25‐(OH)D deficiency or insufficiency ranges. There were significant differences in all groups studied between seasons, with the exception of maternal blood and female cord blood samples. 25‐(OH)D insufficiency was common in all groups for winter and summer, more so in winter. 25‐(OH)D insufficiency was common in the three groups studied. The Newfoundland and Labrador population may be at increased risk for vitamin D insufficiency because of factors such as northern latitude and lifestyle issues. Further research on the vitamin D status of this population is important, considering the potential adverse health‐related outcomes and the recommendations on supplementation being made.