Milk fortified with vitamin D is the most important determinant of serum vitamin D level in Finnish children

The Nutrition Society Paper of the Month for January is from the British Journal of Nutrition and is entitled: ‘Determinants of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration in Finnish Children: The PANIC Study. Milk, vitamin supplements and exercise raise children's vitamin D levelsSufficient intake of fortified dairy products is of significant importance for the serum vitamin D level in primary school children, finds a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. Children who drank at least three glasses of milk per day had a higher serum vitamin D level than their peers who drank milk in lesser amounts. The use of vitamin D supplements was also associated with a higher serum vitamin D level. Furthermore, children who exercise more than 2 hours per day had a higher serum vitamin D level than children who exercise less than 1.5 hours per day. Low levels of vitamin D are commonVery few children had severely low serum levels of vitamin D. However, 20% had a serum vitamin D level lower than 50 nmol/l, which is often considered as a sufficient level. Children whose blood samples were taken in the autumn had the highest serum vitamin D levels. This may be explained by the fact that in the summer, vitamin D is formed on the skin due to sunlight exposure. In northern latitudes, there is not enough sun exposure to maintain sufficient vitamin D levels in the winter season, and vitamin D supplementation is often required. A sufficiently high serum vitamin D level is associated wit...
Source: The Nutrition Society - Category: Nutrition Authors: Source Type: news