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Vitamin D fortification and seasonality of birth in type 1 diabetic cases: D-tect study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2015

R. Jacobsen ,
M. Moldovan ,
A. A. Vaag ,
E. Hypponen  and
B. L. Heitmann
R. Jacobsen*
Affiliation:
Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark Institute of Preventive Medicine, Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark
M. Moldovan
Affiliation:
School of Population Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
A. A. Vaag
Affiliation:
Department of Endocrinology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
E. Hypponen
Affiliation:
School of Population Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
B. L. Heitmann
Affiliation:
Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition Exercise & Eating Disorders, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark Institute of Preventive Medicine, Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark
*
*Address for correspondence: R. Jacobsen, Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Frederiksberg Hospital, Nordre Fasanvej 57, Hovedvejen, Entrance 5, Ground Floor, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark. (Email ramune.jacobsen@regionh.dk)
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Abstract

Fortification of margarine with vitamin D was mandatory in Denmark during 1961–1985. The aim of the study was to assess whether gestational and early infancy exposure to margarine fortification was associated with seasonality of birth in Danish type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients. The risks of T1D in Danes born during various exposure periods around margarine fortification termination in 1985 were analyzed. As expected, the T1D hazards in males unexposed to margarine fortification and born in spring were higher than in males born in autumn: relevant hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) in various exposure groups ranged from 1.74 (1.112/2.708) to 37.43 (1.804/776.558). There were no indications of seasonality of birth in males exposed to fortification, nor in both exposed and unexposed females. The study suggests that early life exposure to low-dose vitamin D from fortified food eliminates seasonality of birth in T1D male patients. Further studies are required to investigate the identified gender differences.

Keywords

fortificationseasonality of birthtype 1 diabetesvitamin D

Information

Type
Brief Report
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 7 , Supplement 1: Themed Issue: The Gut Microbiome and Immunity: How it is Shaped by Early Life , February 2016 , pp. 114 - 119
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Copyright
© Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2015 

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