Vitamin D levels among 2-12 years old healthy children and factors which influence levels of vitamin D levels

Vitamin D Levels Among 2-12 Years old Healthy Children and Factors Which İnfluence Levels of Vitamin D Levels Introduction and Purposes: Vitamin D deficiency is a predisposition factor for diseases not only in childhood but also in every period of life. Recently, this problem has seen frequently not only in developing countries but also in developed countries. While this conditon doesnt influence individual health harmfully, it can cause various limitations in social life. In this research we aim to emphasize that determine vitamin D levels and factors influence it's levels, learn Daily consumption of vitamin D in between 2-12 years old healthy children which applied our clinic, enlight parents to prevent vitamin D insufficiency and prevent not only in harmfull effects seen in short time period but also poor prognosis in long term period. Methods: We included totally 600 children which doesn't have any chronic diseases between 2015 june and 2017 june among 2-12 years old; 2-4 years old 200 children, 5-8 years old 200 children, 9-12 years old 200 children. We excluded children using chronic drugs which affects metabolism of vitamin D levels and children with chronic diseases. We measured 25-OH vitamin D, PTH, ALP, Bone specific ALP, CA, P and osteocalcin from serum plasmas in our cases. Vitamin D levels accepted as <10ng/ml severe vitamin D deficiency, 10-20ng/ml vitamin D deficiency, 20-30ng/ml vitamin D insufficiency, >30ng/ml normal vitamin D levels. Results: When we look for vitamin D levels in our cases we found that vitamin D deficiency has the highest incidence (18.7±6.8ng/ml). Vitamin D deficiency incidence was %52 in children between 2-4 years old, %62.5 in children between 5-8 years old, %63 in children between 9-12 years old. Incidence of vitamin D deficiency increased as age increased. Vitamin D deficency and insufficency mostly seen in winter, vitamin D levels increased to normal values end of the summer and autumn months. Incidence of vitamin D deficiency was higher in children living in the countryside compare to children living in downtowns, and higher in girls compare to boys. While vitamin D levels increases with multivitamin using, increased sunbathing times in daylight and increased spending time in open air, watching tv more than 2 hours in a day decreases levels of vitamin D. Cut-off values according to ages of our cases was 23.40ng/ml between 2-4 years old, 24.80ng/ml between 5-8 years old, 25.50ng/ml 9-12 years old and cutt-off value for all the cases was 24.49ng/ml. Conclusion: Altough our country is one the rare countries that can take sunlight in every season, reasons such as conservative clothes habits because of the various sociocultural reasons, poor dietary intake of vitamin D, spending time in the closed place we couldnt benefit from sunlight which is most important source of vitamin D. Spending more times in outside in schools when climates are available and there is a sunlight, paying attention to vitamin D and calcium levels in our meals are important for healthy new generations. According to vitamin D levels and cut off values in ages group of our cases, we found that incidence of vitamin D deficiency and/or vitamin D insufficency was %73.5 between 2-4 years old, %83 between 5-8 years old and %88.5 between 9-12 years old. According to our literature screening and our datas, we recommend profilactic vitamin D intake not only in chronic disease but also in childhood period of life. Key Words; Vitamin D, Bone health