VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY ASSOCIATED

WITH INCREASED INCIDENCE OF

GASTROINTESTINAL AND EAR
INFECTIONS IN SCHOOL-AGED
CHILDREN

Kathryn A. Thornton, DMD, MPH, Constanza Martin, RD,

Mercedes Mora-Plaza, MSc, RD, Eduardo Villamor, MD, DrPh

Source: The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between VDD and
morbidity among school-age children in Bogot,
Colombia.
METHODS
Study Population: Bogota School Children
467 school children aged 5-10 years old
Anthropometric measurements and fasting blood
samples were obtained from the children by
trained research assistants who visited the
schools in the following weeks
During the academic year, parents or primary
caregivers recorded daily information on the
incidence of morbidity episodes using a pictorial
diary that was distributed and returned weekly
 Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)
concentrations were collected and measured in a
random sample of 475 children
Samples were transported to National Institute
of Health
Samples were measured using Enzyme
immunoassay
Vitamin D status was categorized according to
plasma 25(OH)D concentrations
Deficient (<50 nmol/L)

Insufficient (50 and <75 nmol/L)

Sufficient (75 nmol/L)

RESULT
10% were vitamin D-deficient
47% of children were vitamin D-insufficient

Children with VDD had higher rates of vomiting,

diarrhea with vomiting and earache or ear
discharge with fever than vitamin D-sufficient
children
Compared with children who were vitamin D-
sufficient, those who were deficient had twice as
many days with diarrhea and vomiting
 Vitamin D-deficient children had 2.4 times as
many days with earache or ear discharge with
fever compared with vitamin D-sufficient
children
SUMMARY
What: Vitamin D Deficiency Associated With
Increased Incidence of Gastrointestinal and Ear
Infections in School-age Children
Who: Kathryn A. Thornton, DMD, MPH, Constanza
Martin, RD, Mercedes Mora-Plaza, MSc, RD, Eduardo
Villamor, MD, DrPh
Where: Bogota, Colombia
When: 2013

Why: To investigate the association between

VDD and morbidity among school-age children in
Bogot, Colombia.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
Vitamin D supplementation should be given to
school-aged children to reduce the risk of
gastrointestinal and otitis media infection