Different diagnostic criteria influence the determination of Vitamin D nutritional status in children: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveTo assess Vitamin D status in children aged 0–6 years in Quanzhou, China, and compare the impact of diagnostic criteria on deficiency/sufficiency classification.MethodsThis cross-sectional study enrolled 1,183 healthy children aged 0–6 years (January 2022–March 2023). Serum 25(OH)D levels w...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Qingling Zhu, Yueyuan Zhu, Jiajia Liu, Huiling Huang, Liuhong Huang, Weihua Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1641065/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849405525574287360
author Qingling Zhu
Qingling Zhu
Yueyuan Zhu
Jiajia Liu
Huiling Huang
Liuhong Huang
Weihua Lin
Weihua Lin
author_facet Qingling Zhu
Qingling Zhu
Yueyuan Zhu
Jiajia Liu
Huiling Huang
Liuhong Huang
Weihua Lin
Weihua Lin
author_sort Qingling Zhu
collection DOAJ
description ObjectiveTo assess Vitamin D status in children aged 0–6 years in Quanzhou, China, and compare the impact of diagnostic criteria on deficiency/sufficiency classification.MethodsThis cross-sectional study enrolled 1,183 healthy children aged 0–6 years (January 2022–March 2023). Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured via ELISA, and anthropometric data were collected. Participants were stratified by sex, season, age, WLZ, BMI, and Vitamin A status to analyze Vitamin D variations. Diagnostic criteria impacts on classification were evaluated.ResultsMean serum 25(OH)D was 73.02 nmol/L (IQR: 58.48–89.09), with no sex-based differences (P > 0.05). Levels varied by season (highest in summer: 75.85 nmol/L; lowest in winter: 69.00), and age (infants > toddlers > preschoolers), all P < 0.05. Serum 25(OH)D were observed to decrease with increasing WLZ (Weight-for-Length Z-score) and BMI, though no statistically significant differences were found for either parameter (both P > 0.05) Using Criterion I, 2.46% were deficient, 9.97% insufficient, and 87.57% sufficient (χ2 = 1589.053, P < 0.001). With Criterion II, rates shifted to 12.43, 40.74, and 46.83%, respectively (χ2 = 239.271, P < 0.001). Classification discrepancies were significant across subgroups (sex, season, age, BMI; all P.adj <0.05), with poor inter-criteria agreement (Kappa = 0.071, P < 0.001). Age, season, BMI, and Vitamin A independently predicted sufficiency (P < 0.05).ConclusionThis study underscores two critical implications: (1) Vitamin D deficiency/sufficiency classifications are critically dependent on diagnostic criteria, necessitating region-specific guidelines and standardized threshold selection in practice and research. (2) Given the influence of latitude on Vitamin D synthesis, targeted interventions—particularly increased winter dosing for young children—should be tailored to age and seasonal variations.
format Article
id doaj-art-ae17fe707edf4b20a595b6b4d74c2ec7
institution Kabale University
issn 2296-2565
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Public Health
spelling doaj-art-ae17fe707edf4b20a595b6b4d74c2ec72025-08-20T03:36:38ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-08-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.16410651641065Different diagnostic criteria influence the determination of Vitamin D nutritional status in children: a cross-sectional studyQingling Zhu0Qingling Zhu1Yueyuan Zhu2Jiajia Liu3Huiling Huang4Liuhong Huang5Weihua Lin6Weihua Lin7The School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, ChinaDepartment of Children Health Care, Quanzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Quanzhou, ChinaMedical Clinic, Jilin University of the Arts, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Children Health Care, Quanzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Quanzhou, ChinaDepartment of Children Health Care, Quanzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Quanzhou, ChinaDepartment of Children Health Care, Quanzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Quanzhou, ChinaThe School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, ChinaDepartment of Children Health Care, Quanzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Quanzhou, ChinaObjectiveTo assess Vitamin D status in children aged 0–6 years in Quanzhou, China, and compare the impact of diagnostic criteria on deficiency/sufficiency classification.MethodsThis cross-sectional study enrolled 1,183 healthy children aged 0–6 years (January 2022–March 2023). Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured via ELISA, and anthropometric data were collected. Participants were stratified by sex, season, age, WLZ, BMI, and Vitamin A status to analyze Vitamin D variations. Diagnostic criteria impacts on classification were evaluated.ResultsMean serum 25(OH)D was 73.02 nmol/L (IQR: 58.48–89.09), with no sex-based differences (P > 0.05). Levels varied by season (highest in summer: 75.85 nmol/L; lowest in winter: 69.00), and age (infants > toddlers > preschoolers), all P < 0.05. Serum 25(OH)D were observed to decrease with increasing WLZ (Weight-for-Length Z-score) and BMI, though no statistically significant differences were found for either parameter (both P > 0.05) Using Criterion I, 2.46% were deficient, 9.97% insufficient, and 87.57% sufficient (χ2 = 1589.053, P < 0.001). With Criterion II, rates shifted to 12.43, 40.74, and 46.83%, respectively (χ2 = 239.271, P < 0.001). Classification discrepancies were significant across subgroups (sex, season, age, BMI; all P.adj <0.05), with poor inter-criteria agreement (Kappa = 0.071, P < 0.001). Age, season, BMI, and Vitamin A independently predicted sufficiency (P < 0.05).ConclusionThis study underscores two critical implications: (1) Vitamin D deficiency/sufficiency classifications are critically dependent on diagnostic criteria, necessitating region-specific guidelines and standardized threshold selection in practice and research. (2) Given the influence of latitude on Vitamin D synthesis, targeted interventions—particularly increased winter dosing for young children—should be tailored to age and seasonal variations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1641065/fullVitamin D25(OH)Dchildrencriteriacross-sectional study
spellingShingle Qingling Zhu
Qingling Zhu
Yueyuan Zhu
Jiajia Liu
Huiling Huang
Liuhong Huang
Weihua Lin
Weihua Lin
Different diagnostic criteria influence the determination of Vitamin D nutritional status in children: a cross-sectional study
Frontiers in Public Health
Vitamin D
25(OH)D
children
criteria
cross-sectional study
title Different diagnostic criteria influence the determination of Vitamin D nutritional status in children: a cross-sectional study
title_full Different diagnostic criteria influence the determination of Vitamin D nutritional status in children: a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Different diagnostic criteria influence the determination of Vitamin D nutritional status in children: a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Different diagnostic criteria influence the determination of Vitamin D nutritional status in children: a cross-sectional study
title_short Different diagnostic criteria influence the determination of Vitamin D nutritional status in children: a cross-sectional study
title_sort different diagnostic criteria influence the determination of vitamin d nutritional status in children a cross sectional study
topic Vitamin D
25(OH)D
children
criteria
cross-sectional study
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1641065/full
work_keys_str_mv AT qinglingzhu differentdiagnosticcriteriainfluencethedeterminationofvitamindnutritionalstatusinchildrenacrosssectionalstudy
AT qinglingzhu differentdiagnosticcriteriainfluencethedeterminationofvitamindnutritionalstatusinchildrenacrosssectionalstudy
AT yueyuanzhu differentdiagnosticcriteriainfluencethedeterminationofvitamindnutritionalstatusinchildrenacrosssectionalstudy
AT jiajialiu differentdiagnosticcriteriainfluencethedeterminationofvitamindnutritionalstatusinchildrenacrosssectionalstudy
AT huilinghuang differentdiagnosticcriteriainfluencethedeterminationofvitamindnutritionalstatusinchildrenacrosssectionalstudy
AT liuhonghuang differentdiagnosticcriteriainfluencethedeterminationofvitamindnutritionalstatusinchildrenacrosssectionalstudy
AT weihualin differentdiagnosticcriteriainfluencethedeterminationofvitamindnutritionalstatusinchildrenacrosssectionalstudy
AT weihualin differentdiagnosticcriteriainfluencethedeterminationofvitamindnutritionalstatusinchildrenacrosssectionalstudy