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A new study has revealed that gestational vitamin D supplementation can significantly improve bone health in children. The findings, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, show that children whose mothers took vitamin D during pregnancy have higher bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) by the age of 6-7 years, compared to those whose mothers were given a placebo.
Key Findings
Researchers from the MAVIDOS trial studied over 1,100 pregnant women from 2008 to 2014, dividing them into two groups: one receiving 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily, and the other receiving a placebo, though they could take up to 400 IU of vitamin D. Children born to these mothers were invited for follow-up scans at birth, 4 years, and again at 6-7 years.
At 6-7 years of age, children whose mothers took vitamin D had significantly higher whole-body bone mineral content and bone mineral apparent density. Specifically, bone mineral content was 0.15 standard deviations higher, and bone mineral density was 0.18 standard deviations higher in the vitamin D group than in the placebo group. Additionally, lean mass was greater in children exposed to higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy.
Implications for Public Health
The authors suggest that vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy could be an effective strategy to promote stronger bones in children, potentially lowering their risk of fractures or bone disorders later in life. “These findings suggest that pregnancy vitamin D supplementation may be an important population health strategy to improve bone health,” the researchers concluded.
Methodology and Limitations
The study followed 454 children aged 6-7 years, with detailed measurements of bone area, bone mineral density, and lean mass using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). While the results are promising, some limitations need consideration. The study population was predominantly White and well-educated, limiting the applicability of the results to more diverse populations. Furthermore, only children whose mothers had moderate vitamin D levels (25-100 nmol/L) at the beginning of the study were included, excluding those with severe vitamin D deficiencies who might have benefitted the most.
Additionally, only 47% of the original participants completed the follow-up at age 6-7 years. Differences in maternal age, smoking status, and education levels between participants who completed the follow-up and those who dropped out may also introduce biases in the findings.
Research and Support
The study, led by Dr. Rebecca J. Moon from the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, was supported by Versus Arthritis UK, the Medical Research Council, and other organizations. Despite these promising results, the researchers note that further studies are needed to understand the long-term effects of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy on children’s health outcomes.
In conclusion, vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy appears to have a lasting positive impact on bone health in children, making it a potential public health intervention to consider. However, more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness across different populations and to explore its broader health benefits.
