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Vitamin D levels of Mexican children: mean 38 ng – May 2013

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels among Mexican children ages 2 y to 12 y: a national survey.

Nutrition. 2013 May;29(5):802-4. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2012.12.024. Epub 2013 Feb 16.
Flores M, Macias N, Lozada A, Sánchez LM, Díaz E, Barquera S.
Center of Research in Nutrition and Health, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico. mario.flores at insp.mx

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the vitamin D status in preschool and school-age children in Mexico.

METHODS: 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D) serum concentrations were measured using a direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay commercial kit in a nationally representative sample of 1025 Mexican children ages 2 y to 12 y who participated in the 2006 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey.

RESULTS: Mean serum 25-OH-D concentration was 94.6 ± 47 nmol/L.

  • Concentrations were lower in preschool children (2-5 y; 78.3 ± 37 nmol/L) than in school-aged children (6-12 y; 105.8 ± 51 nmol/L; P < 0.001).
  • Children living in urban areas had lower levels (89.8 ± 36 nmol/L) than children from rural areas (108.1 ± 75 nmol/L; P < 0.05).
  • Twenty-four percent of preschool children had vitamin D deficiency (25-OH-D < 50 nmol/L) compared with 10% of school-aged children (P < 0.05).
  • Thirty percent of preschool children had vitamin D insufficiency (25-OH-D 50-74.9 nmol/L) compared with 18% of school-aged children (P < 0.05).
  • In urban areas, 18% of children had vitamin D deficiency and 25% had insufficiency compared with 10% and 16% of children in rural areas, respectively (P < 0.05).
  • Prevalence of severe vitamin D deficiency (25-OH-D < 20 nmol/L) was extremely low (0.3%).

CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are important public health problems in Mexican children.

Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PMID: 23422537

References (most of which are on VitaminDWiki)

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MF was co-author of the research proposal, wrote the manuscript, and reviewed the final version. NM helped with serum sampling and writing of the manuscript. AL contributed with data analyses and reviewed the results. LMS contributed data analyses and reviewed the results. ED was in charge of laboratory analyses, helped with interpretation of data, and reviewed the manuscript. SB was co-author of the research proposal and reviewed the manuscript and the final version. The authors declare they do not have any conflict of interest.


See also VitaminDWiki