In recent years, there have been reports suggesting a high prevalence of low vitamin D intakes and vitamin D deficiency or inadequate vitamin D status in Europe. Coupled with growing concern about the health risks associated with low vitamin D status, this has resulted in increased interest in the topic of vitamin D from healthcare professionals, the media and the public. Adequate vitamin D sta...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether fortification of yogurts with vitamin D and calcium exerts an additional lowering effect on serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and bone resorption markers (BRM) as compared to iso-caloric and iso-protein dairy products in aged white women at risk of fragility fractures. DESIGN A randomized double-blind controlled trial. SETTING A community dwelling home. PARTICI...

Periconceptual consumption of folic acid has been shown to decrease the incidence of neural tube defects. The strategy of universal fortification of staple foodstuffs with folic acid presents the possibility of life-long exposure to unmetabolized folic acid. Chief among the risks of exposure to folic acid in the circulation is that of masking the diagnosis of cobalamin deficiency in pernicious ...

BACKGROUND In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 42% of children are at risk for vitamin A deficiency, and control of vitamin A deficiency will prevent more than 600,000 child deaths annually. In the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), an estimated 54.3% of preschool-age children are vitamin A deficient and 13% of pregnant women have night blindness. OBJECTIVE To project the achievem...

OBJECTIVE To utilize complementary biochemical and dietary data collected before the initiation of national flour fortification to (i) identify micronutrient insufficiencies or deficiencies and dietary inadequacies in Palestinian women and children in vulnerable communities and (ii) assess the suitability of the current wheat flour fortification formula. DESIGN Quantitative dietary intake que...

of vitamin D receptors in asthma and allergies. On the other hand, recent epidemiological data from birth cohort studies have shown beneficial associations between maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy and early childhood asthma symptoms. In Crete, the basic factor affecting vitamin D is probably exposure to sunlight. Margarine is fortified with vitamin D but is not commonly used among chi...

BACKGROUND Ireland has traditionally operated a liberal policy of voluntary fortification, but little is known about how this practice, along with supplement use, affects population intakes and status of folate and vitamin B-12. OBJECTIVE The aim was to examine the relative impact of voluntary fortification and supplement use on dietary intakes and biomarker status of folate and vitamin B-12 ...

INTRODUCTION Vitamin D is required for intestinal absorption of dietary calcium and for normal mineralization of bone. It fulfills the classic definition of a vitamin because it is an essential nutrient provided by natural foodstuffs that is needed in minute amounts to prevent deficiency diseases. Dietary sources are plants, which photosynthesize ergocalciferol (vitamin D2), fatty fishes such a...

BACKGROUND Conflicting results from vitamin E intervention studies suggest supplemental vitamin E malabsorption. OBJECTIVE We compared vitamin E bioavailability from a supplement with that from a fortified breakfast cereal. DESIGN Vitamin E bioavailability was evaluated by using deuterium-labeled all-rac-alpha-tocopherol in three 4-d trials (2 wk apart). Five fasting subjects sequentially c...