Abstract
Background and aims
Few foods contain vitamin D and many children fail to meet recommended intakes, including Danish children. This may promote low serum concentrations, particularly as cutaneous vitamin D production is negligible during winter/spring at Northern latitudes.
Aims
To examine if New Nordic Diet (NND) school meals with two weekly fish servings affect serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and bone in children.
Methods
The OPUS (Optimal well-being, development and health for Danish children through a healthy NND) School Meal Study was a cluster-randomized controlled cross-over intervention. A total of 784 third and fourth graders received NND school meals for 3 months and habitual packed lunch for 3 months. Dietary intake and serum 25(OH)D was measured, and DXA-scans performed, at baseline and after each dietary period.
Results
Intake of fatty fish (? 3.6-7.2 g/d) and vitamin D (? 0.3-1.1 µg/d) was higher after intervention- than control-period. The NND effect was modified by season, i.e, in November/December and January/February NND resulted in higher 25(OH)D than the control diet, whereas in March/April NND resulted in lower (p<0.05). In January/February NND resulted in higher Total Body Less Head size-adjusted Bone Mineral Content than the control diet, but lower in May/June (p<0.05). No observed effects on Bone Area and Bone Mineral Density.
Conclusions
Fish-containing NND school meals affected vitamin D intake and ?status, and seemed to mitigate children?s decreases in 25(OH)D and BMC during winter months at Northern latitudes. A carry-over effect may be suspected in the March/April samplings. The OPUS study was supported by a grant from the Nordea Foundation.
Few foods contain vitamin D and many children fail to meet recommended intakes, including Danish children. This may promote low serum concentrations, particularly as cutaneous vitamin D production is negligible during winter/spring at Northern latitudes.
Aims
To examine if New Nordic Diet (NND) school meals with two weekly fish servings affect serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and bone in children.
Methods
The OPUS (Optimal well-being, development and health for Danish children through a healthy NND) School Meal Study was a cluster-randomized controlled cross-over intervention. A total of 784 third and fourth graders received NND school meals for 3 months and habitual packed lunch for 3 months. Dietary intake and serum 25(OH)D was measured, and DXA-scans performed, at baseline and after each dietary period.
Results
Intake of fatty fish (? 3.6-7.2 g/d) and vitamin D (? 0.3-1.1 µg/d) was higher after intervention- than control-period. The NND effect was modified by season, i.e, in November/December and January/February NND resulted in higher 25(OH)D than the control diet, whereas in March/April NND resulted in lower (p<0.05). In January/February NND resulted in higher Total Body Less Head size-adjusted Bone Mineral Content than the control diet, but lower in May/June (p<0.05). No observed effects on Bone Area and Bone Mineral Density.
Conclusions
Fish-containing NND school meals affected vitamin D intake and ?status, and seemed to mitigate children?s decreases in 25(OH)D and BMC during winter months at Northern latitudes. A carry-over effect may be suspected in the March/April samplings. The OPUS study was supported by a grant from the Nordea Foundation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication date | 2014 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
| Event | The 2nd international conference on nutrition and growth - Barcelona, Spain Duration: 30 Jan 2014 → 1 Feb 2014 Conference number: 2 |
Conference
| Conference | The 2nd international conference on nutrition and growth |
|---|---|
| Number | 2 |
| Country/Territory | Spain |
| City | Barcelona |
| Period | 30/01/2014 → 01/02/2014 |