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Vitamin D status and its determinants in children and adults among families in late summer in Denmark

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2014

Katja H. Madsen*
Affiliation:
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark
Lone B. Rasmussen
Affiliation:
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark
Heddie Mejborn
Affiliation:
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark
Elisabeth W. Andersen
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
Christian Mølgaard
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, DK-1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, DK-5000 Odense C, Denmark
Janna Nissen
Affiliation:
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark
Inge Tetens
Affiliation:
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark
Rikke Andersen
Affiliation:
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark
*
* Corresponding author: K. H. Madsen, fax +45 35 88 71 19, email kjma@food.dtu.dk
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Abstract

The impact of the familial relationship on vitamin D status has not been investigated previously. The objective of the present cross-sectional study was to assess serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration and its determinants in children and adults among families in late summer in Denmark (56°N). Data obtained from 755 apparently healthy children (4–17 years) and adults (18–60 years) recruited as families (n 200) in the VitmaD study were analysed. Blood samples were collected in September–October, and serum 25(OH)D concentration was measured by liquid chromatography–tandem MS. Information on potential determinants was obtained using questionnaires. The geometric mean serum 25(OH)D concentration was 72·1 (interquartile range 61·5–86·7) nmol/l (range 9–162 nmol/l), with 9 % of the subjects having 25(OH)D concentrations < 50 nmol/l. The intra-family correlation was 0·27 in all subjects, 0·24 in the adults and 0·42 in the children. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was negatively associated with BMI (P< 0·001) and positively associated with dietary vitamin D intake (P= 0·008), multivitamin use (P= 0·019), solarium use (P= 0·006), outdoor stay (P= 0·001), sun preference (P= 0·002) and sun vacation (P< 0·001), but was not associated with lifestyle-related factors in the adults when these were assessed together with the other determinants. In conclusion, the majority of children and adults among the families had serum 25(OH)D concentrations >50 nmol/l in late summer in Denmark. Both dietary and sun-related factors were determinants of vitamin D status and the familial component was stronger for the children than for the adults.

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Copyright © The Authors 2014 
Figure 0

Table 1 Characteristics of the study population (n 755) (Number of subjects and percentages)

Figure 1

Table 2 Lifestyle-related characteristics of adults in the study population (n 415) (Number of subjects and percentages)

Figure 2

Table 3 Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration and distribution by age and sex groups among the families in late summer in Denmark (56°N) (Geometric mean values and interquartile ranges; number of subjects and percentages)

Figure 3

Table 4 Associations between potential determinants and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration* (Ratio of means and 95 % confidence interval)

Figure 4

Table 5 Standard deviation for the within-family and between-family effects and the intra-family correlation*