Low socioeconomic status predicts vitamin D status in a cross-section of Irish children
J Nutr Sci . 2022 Jul 25;11:e61. doi: 10.1017/jns.2022.57. eCollection 2022.
Helena Scully 1 2, Eamon Laird 2, Martin Healy 3, Vivion Crowley 3, James Bernard Walsh 1, Kevin McCarroll 1
Vitamin D is essential for bone and muscle health with adequate status in childhood crucial for normal skeletal development. We aimed to investigate vitamin D status in a convenience sample (n = 1226) of Irish children (aged 1-17 years) who had serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) tested by request of their GP at a Dublin Hospital between 2014 and 2020. We examined predictors including age, sex, season and socioeconomic status (SES). Vitamin D deficiency (<30 nmol/l) was prevalent affecting 23 % and was more common in disadvantaged areas (34 %) and in those aged >12 v. ≤12 years (24 % v. 16 %, P = 0⋅033). The greatest predictor was SES (disadvantaged v. affluent, OR 2⋅18, CI 1⋅34, 3⋅53, P = 0⋅002), followed by female sex (OR 1⋅57, CI 1⋅15, 2⋅14, P = 0⋅005) and winter season (October to February, OR 1⋅40, CI 1⋅07, 1⋅84, P = 0⋅015).
A quarter of our sample of children were deficient, rising to one-third in those in disadvantaged areas. Females and those aged over 12 years had a higher prevalence of deficiency. Public health strategies to improve vitamin D status in Irish children, including systematic food fortification may need to be considered to address this issue.
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Possible reasons: poor health (reason that the GP requested test), parents smoke, immigrants, consume more media (indoors), obesity
- Both parents smoke – child’s vitamin D level was 30 percent lower and worse asthma – May 2018
- Canadian immigrants have lower vitamin D levels and more chronic diseases – April 2022
- Increasing time with indoor media, prescribe time outdoors - Sept 2013
Obesity is associated with low Vitamin D (and treated by D as well) – Aug 2019 has
Fast weight loss by Obese Adults: Summary of the data as of Sept 2019
1) 50,000 IU Vitamin D weekly for at least 6 months
If gut problems, should use a gut-friendly form of vitamin D
2) Add calorie restriction diet and light exercise after ~2 months*
* Vitamin D levels must be above 30ng/ml to help with weight loss
* Start losing weight 2 months sooner if take a 50,000 IU daily for a week
3) More weight loss if also add Magnesium or cofactors
30% Improved Vitamin D response with Magnesium - a Vitamin D Cofactor
Note: Magnesium reduces weight loss by itself as well
20% improved vitamin D response if also add Omega-3 a Vitamin D Cofactor
Note: Omega-3 reduces weight loss by itself as well
4) More weight loss if also improve activation of Vitamin D Receptor
Vitamin D Receptor activator: 0-30% improved Vitamin D response
Obesity 1.5 X more likely if poor Vitamin D Receptor – meta-analysis Nov 2019
Update Dec 2019 - Dr. Greger plant-based eating (not diet) for both weight loss and health.
His book does not mention Vitamin D nor Adenovirus