Relationships for vitamin D with childhood height growth velocity and low bone mineral density risk

Pei Xiao; Hong Cheng; Liange Wang; Dongqing Hou; Haibo Li; Xiaoyuan Zhao; Xianghui Xie; Jie Mi

doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1081896

Relationships for vitamin D with childhood height growth velocity and low bone mineral density risk

Front Nutr. 2023 Feb 3:10:1081896. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1081896. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Pei Xiao¹, Hong Cheng², Liange Wang³, Dongqing Hou⁴, Haibo Li⁵, Xiaoyuan Zhao², Xianghui Xie⁶, Jie Mi¹

Affiliations

¹ Center for Non-Communicable Disease Management, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, China.
² Department of Epidemiology, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
³ Beijing Miyun Primary and Secondary School Health Center, Beijing, China.
⁴ Child Health Big Data Research Center, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
⁵ Division of Birth Cohort Study, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
⁶ Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate how serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) affects height growth velocity and the risk of low bone mineral density (BMD) in children.

Design: A population-based prospective cohort study.

Patients and methods: A total of 10 450 participants with complete follow-up records from a cohort were included in the current study. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured at baseline and 2-year follow-up, and the average of 2-time measurements was used for analysis. Low BMD was defined as calcaneus speed of sound Z-score ≤ -1. The associations of vitamin D with height growth velocity and the risks of incident low BMD were evaluated using adjusted β and risk ratio (RR).

Results: After multivariable adjustment, an inverse L-shaped association between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and height growth velocity was observed, leveling off up to 40-60 nmol/L. Overall, each 10 nmol/L higher serum 25(OH)D concentration was associated with a 0.15 cm/year higher height growth velocity (P < 0.001) and a 7% decreased risk of low BMD [RR (95%CI): 0.93 (0.87~0.98)]. Compared to those with vitamin D deficiency, participants who had sufficient vitamin D had a 22% lower risk for low BMD [RR(95%CI): 0.78 (0.62~0.98)]. However, no significant associations between vitamin D and the risk of low BMD were found in overweight and obese children.

Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of maintenance of sufficient 25(OH)D concentrations and healthy body weight during childhood in height growth and bone health promotion.

Keywords: child; cohort study; height growth; low bone mineral density; vitamin D.

Grants and funding

The study was supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFC0900602), National Natural Science Foundation of China (82204061), Beijing Natural Science Foundation (7214277), Capital's Funds for Health Improvement and Research (2022-1G-4251), and Public Service Development and Reform Pilot Project of Beijing Medical Research Institute (BMR2019-11).