Abstract
Background: Globally there is a high burden of low serum vitamin D deficiency (VDD) with children being acknowledged at risk due to low vitamin D content in both breastmilk and available foods and inadequate cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D. Even in countries with abundant sunshine, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) remains a problem. There is little characterization of the status of vitamin D among infants in East Africa. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with vitamin D deficiency among infants attending the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Clinic in Arusha, Tanzania. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 304 infants aged 6 weeks to 12 months was conducted at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC). Infants were enrolled during the warm season between November 2018 and January 2019. A pre-coded questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics of the infant with consent from their caretakers. Physical examination was done for anthropometric measures and signs of rickets. Blood was drawn for assessment of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D, calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphate. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25(OH)D level below 20 ng/ml (analysis was performed using STATA 14 version and factors associated with VDD explored with multivariate analysis. Results: The mean serum 25(OH)D among infants was 34.51 ng/ml (±15.53). Vitamin D deficiency was found in 67/304 (22%) infants and Vitamin D insufficiency in 50 (16.5%) infants. Hypocalcemia was observed in 33 (10.9%) infants and clinical findings of rickets were found in 11 infants (3.6%). Factors independently associated with VDD included age Conclusion and Recommendation: A high prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency (22%) and insufficiency (16.5%) was observed among infants attending RCH Clinic in Arusha, Tanzania. Age
Highlights
There is a high burden of low serum vitamin D deficiency (VDD) with children being acknowledged at risk due to low vitamin D content in both breastmilk and available foods and inadequate cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D
This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with vitamin D deficiency among infants attending the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Clinic in Arusha, Tanzania
A cross-sectional study was employed to recruit a total of 304 infants attending Reproductive and Child Health Clinic (RCH) at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC) in Arusha, Tanzania
Summary
There is a high burden of low serum vitamin D deficiency (VDD) with children being acknowledged at risk due to low vitamin D content in both breastmilk and available foods and inadequate cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D. Even in countries with abundant sunshine, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) remains a problem. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with vitamin D deficiency among infants attending the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Clinic in Arusha, Tanzania. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 304 infants aged 6 weeks to 12 months was conducted at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC). A review and meta-analysis of 129 studies in Africa involving 23 countries found the overall prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among 21,472 participants was 34.22% using a serum 25(OH)D cut off of less than 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L) and 59.54% using a cut of
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
