Escalation of vitamin D deficiency from birth to early age

The vitamin D supply of healthy newborns and young children living in the Khabarovsk Territory was analyzed. Using a random sampling method, the study included children of two age groups: at birth and the mothers of these children (n=67) and at the age of 1-3 years (n=58), undergoing examination in medical organizations of the Ministry of Health of the Khabarovsk Territory, Khabarovsk. Low vitamin D status was detected in every third child aged 0 to 3 years (29.4%): vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were diagnosed in 14.4% and 15.0% of children respectively, severe deficiency was defined in 4.0 % of cases. A decrease in the concentration of 25(OH)D in the blood serum was found with increasing age of the child. It was determined that the median concentration of 25(OH)D in the blood serum of children in the first three years of life was 2.5 times higher compared to the control group. The data obtained as a result of the study demonstrate the high prevalence of low vitamin D status among the child population of Khabarovsk, while there is an increase in the deficiency state as they grow older and, as a consequence, the most vulnerable group is adolescents. Keywords: vitamin D, newborns, young children, teenagers.