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. 2022 Dec;61(8):4001-4014.
doi: 10.1007/s00394-022-02939-3. Epub 2022 Jul 3.

Adequacy of calcium and vitamin D nutritional status in a nationally representative sample of Irish teenagers aged 13-18 years

Kevin D Cashman #  1   2 , Laura Kehoe #  3 , John Kearney  4 , Breige McNulty  5 , Janette Walton  6 , Albert Flynn  3
Affiliations

Adequacy of calcium and vitamin D nutritional status in a nationally representative sample of Irish teenagers aged 13-18 years

Kevin D Cashman et al. Eur J Nutr. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Context and purpose: In light of the key roles of vitamin D and calcium in adolescent bone health, there is a critical need for representative data on nutritional status for both micronutrients in teenagers. The present work used data from the recent representative National Teens' Food Survey II (2019-2020) to assess calcium and vitamin D intakes of teenagers in Ireland, including adequacy of such intakes, as well as, for the first time, to characterise serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations and their determinants.

Methods: Usual calcium and vitamin D intake estimates were generated using food intake data (via 4-day weighed food records) from a nationally representative sample of teenagers aged 13-18 years in Ireland (n 428). Serum 25(OH)D was measured (via LC-MS/MS) in the 57.5% (n 246) who provided a blood sample.

Results: Sixty-seven and 94% of Irish teenagers had intakes of calcium and vitamin D below the respective Estimated Average Requirements values, reflecting a high degree of inadequacy of intake for both micronutrients (and higher in girls than boys; P < 0.001). In addition, 21.7% and 33.1% of teenagers had serum 25(OH)D < 30 nmol/L (risk of vitamin D deficiency) and 30-49.9 nmol/L (inadequacy), respectively. Extended winter sampling, being aged 16-18 years, low total vitamin D intake, being overweight/obese or being of non-white skin type were significant (P < 0.05) predictors of serum 25(OH)D < 30 nmol/L.

Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of inadequacy of intake of calcium and vitamin D in Irish teenagers, and a fifth were at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Keywords: Calcium intake; National survey; Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D; Teenagers; Vitamin D intake; Vitamin D status.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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