Prevalence and Associations of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Deficiency in US Children: NHANES 2001–2004

To determine the prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) deficiency and associations between 25(OH)D deficiency and cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents.

With a nationally representative sample of children aged 1 to 21 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2004 (n = 6275), we measured serum 25(OH)D deficiency and insufficiency (25[OH]D 4 hours of television, video, or computers per day (OR: 1.6 [1.1 to 2.3]) were more likely to be 25(OH)D deficient. Those who used vitamin D supplementation were less likely (OR: 0.4 [0.2 to 0.8]) to be 25(OH)D deficient. Also, after multivariable adjustment, 25(OH)D deficiency was associated with elevated parathyroid hormone levels (OR: 3.6; [1.8 to 7.1]), higher systolic blood pressure (OR: 2.24 mmHg [0.98 to 3.50 mmHg]), and lower serum calcium (OR: -0.10 mg/dL [-0.15 to -0.04 mg/dL]) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR: -3.03 mg/dL [-5.02 to -1.04]) levels compared with those with 25(OH)D levels > or =30 ng/mL.