Serum vitamin D level of children aged 0 to 3 years and its correlation with nutritional knowledge, attitude and behavior of caregivers in Yibin / 中国儿童保健杂志

ABSTRACT

【Objective】 To explore the correlation of serum vitamin D level of children aged 0 to 3 years with their caregivers′ nutritional knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in Yibin, in order to provide reference for the prevention of vitamin D deficiency in children. 【Methods】 A total of 783 children aged 0 to 3 years who underwent child health care at the First People′s Hospital of Yibin from January to December 2020 were selected into this study. Children′s general conditions (feeding, growth and development, lifestyle, etc.) were collected, and venous blood samples were taken to detect serum 25-(OH)D concentration using the chemiluminescence method. The caregivers′ nutritional KAP was investigated using a self-designed knowledge-attitude-practice questionnaire. The relationship between the children′s vitamin D nutritional status and their caregivers′ nutritional KAP was analyzed using pearson correlation analysis. 【Results】 1) The exclusive breastfeeding rate of children aged 0 to 3 years was about 62.2%. Significant differences were found in outdoor activity time and average vitamin D supplementation among different age groups (t=9.030, 10.260, P<0.05). 2) The average concentration of serum 25-(OH)D was (36.8±8.7)ng/mL, and the incidence of vitamin D deficiency was 21.84%. Significant differences were found in serum 25-(OH)D level and the incidence of vitamin D deficiency among children of different ages, body shapes, outdoor activities, and vitamin D supplementation (t/F: 2.220 - 6.302, χ2: 5.346 - 33.134, P<0.05). 3) The caregivers′ nutritional KAP scores were 78.9±9.9, 88.1±8.3, and 78.3±11.8, respectively, with parents scoring higher than other caregivers (P<0.05). 4) Serum 25-(OH)D level was positively correlated with the nutritional knowledge, attitude, and behavior scores of caregivers (r=0.805, 0.650, 0.831, P<0.05). The caregivers′ nutritional KAP grade was correlated with vitamin D deficiency (P<0.05). 5) Overweight/obesity was a possible risk factor for vitamin D deficiency in children (OR=2.126, 95%CI: 1.162 - 3.887). Outdoor activity duration ≥2h/d (OR=0.592, 95%CI: 0.392 - 0.895), regular vitamin D supplementation (OR=0.618, 95%CI: 0.456 - 0.838), and good nutritional behavior of caregivers(OR=0.725, 95%CI: 0.563 - 0.933) were protective factors for vitamin D deficiency in children (P<0.05). 【Conclusions】 The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is high among children aged 0 to 3 years in Yibin, and it is related to the nutritional KAP of their caregivers. Improving the nutritional KAP of caregivers can help prevent and manage vitamin D deficiency in children.