Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy or infancy reduces adiposity in childhood

Objectives:
Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy or infancy is associated with adverse growth in children. No systematic review has been conducted to summarize available evidence on the effect of vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy and infancy on growth and body composition in children. Therefore, this review article has been conducted.

Does vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy or infancy increase adiposity (severe or morbid overweight) risk in childhood?

Study design:
This review article included 12 RCTs with a total of 4,583 participants.
The doses of vitamin D in the intervention group (group with vitamin D supplements) were 60,000 IU/4 weeks (1,500 mcg/4 weeks) or 60,000 IU/8 weeks and in the control group (group without vitamin D supplements) was 400 IU/day.

Results and conclusions:
The investigators found vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy was associated with higher triceps skinfold thickness (mm) [MD = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.12 to 0.54, I2 = 34%] in neonates.

The investigators found vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy or infancy was associated with significantly increased length for age z-score in infants at 1 year of age [MD = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.03 to 0.54, I2 = 0%].

The investigators found vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy or infancy was associated with lower body mass index (BMI) (kg/m²) [MD = -0.19, 95% CI = -0.34 to -0.04, I2 = 0%] and body mass index z-score (BMIZ) [MD = -0.12, 95% CI = -0.21 to -0.04, I2 = 0%] in offspring at 3-6 years of age.

The investigators found vitamin D supplementation during early life was not observed to be associated with children’s bone, lean or fat mass.

The investigators concluded vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy or infancy is associated with reduced adiposity (severe or morbid overweight) in childhood. Future large well-designed double blinded RCTs are needed to assess the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in early life on children’s bone health, lean mass and adiposity.

Original title:
Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation in Early Life on Children's Growth and Body Composition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials by Ma K, Wei SQ, [...], Wen SW.

Link:
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/2/524/htm

Additional information of El Mondo:
Find more information/studies on vitamin D and obesity/overweight right here.