Vitamin D deficiency is common and is associated with overweight in Mexican children aged 1-11 years.

OBJECTIVE: To assess vitamin D dietary sources, intake and 25-hydroxyvitamin D status and their association with individual and sociodemographic characteristics in Mexican children.

DESIGN: Data obtained from 2695 children aged 1-11 years from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (2012) were analysed. Diet was assessed by a 141-item FFQ. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D was measured by a chemiluminescent assay.

RESULTS: Mean vitamin D intake was 3·38 (se 0·09) µg/d (135·2 (se 3·6) IU/d) among pre-school children and 2·85 (se 0·06) µg/d (114·0 (se 2·4) IU/d) in school-age children. Milk accounted for 64·4 % of vitamin D intake in pre-school children and 54·7 % in school-age children. Vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D<50 nmol/l) was 25·9 % in pre-schoolers and 36·6 % in school-age children. Overweight/obese school-age children had a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency compared with normal-weight children (OR=2·23; 95 % CI 1·36, 3·66; P<0·05).

CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D intakes are low in Mexican children, and milk is the main source of the vitamin. Vitamin D deficiency is common and associated with overweight in school-age children.