Variations in infant and childhood vitamin D supplementation programmes across Europe and factors influencing adherence.
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ABSTRACT: Nutritional rickets is a growing global public health concern despite existing prevention programmes and health policies. We aimed to compare infant and childhood vitamin D supplementation policies, implementation strategies and practices across Europe and explore factors influencing adherence.European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Bone and Growth Plate Working Group members and other specialists completed a questionnaire on country-specific vitamin D supplementation policy and child health care programmes, socioeconomic factors, policy implementation strategies and adherence. Factors influencing adherence were assessed using Kendall's tau-b correlation coefficient.Responses were received from 29 of 30 European countries (97%). Ninety-six per cent had national policies for infant vitamin D supplementation. Supplements are commenced on day 1-5 in 48% (14/29) of countries, day 6-21 in 48% (14/29); only the UK (1/29) starts supplements at 6 months. Duration of supplementation varied widely (6 months to lifelong in at-risk populations). Good (?80% of infants), moderate (50-79%) and low adherence (<50%) to supplements was reported by 59% (17/29), 31% (9/29) and 10% (3/29) of countries, respectively. UK reported lowest adherence (5-20%). Factors significantly associated with good adherence were universal supplementation independent of feeding mode (P?=?0.007), providing information at neonatal unit (NNU) discharge (P?=?0.02), financial family support (P?=?0.005); monitoring adherence at surveillance visits (P?=?0.001) and the total number of factors adopted (P?
SUBMITTER: Uday S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5655685 | biostudies-other | 2017 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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