Vitamin D levels and rickets indices among infants and their nursing mothers in Tripoli – Libya

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the status of vitamin D and rickets indices among healthy infants and their nursing mothers in the city of Tripoli – Libya. A random sample of 110 pairs were studied; 50 infants were exclusively breastfed, 30 were formula fed and 30 received mixed type of feeding. Factors related to vitamin D status such as alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, calcium, and phosphorous levels were determined. The results showed that, 67 out of the 110 (60.9%) of the infants were vitamin D deficient. The mean level of blood serum vitamin D was 21.3 ± 6.8 nmol/ L. This was accompanied by elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) (162.5 ± 119.7 pg/ml) P value = 0.001 and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (394.7±226.1 U/L) p value = 0.001. Calcium and phosphorous remained at normal levels and considered as not dependable indices. The risk increased among exclusively breastfed infants where 40 out of 50 (80%) of them had a mean 25 - hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) of 22.7±8.8 nmol/L while; 10 out of 30 (33.3) of formula fed infants were deficient with a value of 34.7 ± 9.6 nmol/L, and 17 out of 30 (56.7%) who were on mixed type feeding were deficient with an average of 31.0 ± 11.9 nmol/L.  Also; 55 out of 80 (69%) of nursing mothers showed hypovitaminosis D with mean blood serum 25(OH)D of 19.8 ± 5.5 nmol/L. This was accompanied with elevated PTH and ALP  )P = 0.001), while calcium and phosphorous were not related: P = (0.787) and (0.427). Results of 25(OH)D in nursing mother’s milk, showed that 78% of the mother’s milk contained less than 140 IU of vitamin D/L of milk. The results indicate that; there is high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among Libyan infants and their nursing mothers. The risk increases among exclusively breast-fed infants due to low vitamin D levels in nursing  mother’s milk and low attitude for taking Vit. D supplements.

KEY WORDS: Vitamin D, rickets, infants, nursing mother.

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*Corresponding Author: Aref G. Marwan. Department of food science and technology, Fac. of Agriculture, Univ. of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya.

Phone: +218 92 797 3048   . Email:  Ar.marwan@uot.edu.ly

Received: 25/9/2016

Accepted: 20/4/207