Vitamin D supplementation and gross motor development: A 3-year follow-up of a randomized trial

Hope A Weiler; Tom J Hazell; Annette Majnemer; Catherine A Vanstone; Sina Gallo; Celia J Rodd

doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2022.105615

Vitamin D supplementation and gross motor development: A 3-year follow-up of a randomized trial

Early Hum Dev. 2022 Aug:171:105615. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2022.105615. Epub 2022 Jun 22.

Authors

Hope A Weiler¹, Tom J Hazell², Annette Majnemer³, Catherine A Vanstone⁴, Sina Gallo⁵, Celia J Rodd⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada; Nutrition Research Division, Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Electronic address: hope.weiler@hc-sc.gc.ca.
² School of Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada; Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
³ School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁴ School of Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada.
⁵ School of Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada; Nutritional Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America.
⁶ School of Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

PMID: 35777122
DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2022.105615

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D status during pregnancy, early childhood and season-at-birth are implicated in gross motor development (GMD).

Aim: To test whether vitamin D intake in infancy and season-at-birth affect GMD in early childhood.

Study design: 3-year follow up study of a single-center trial.

Subjects: Healthy infants (n = 116) were allocated to 400 (standard-of-care), 800 or 1200 IU/day of vitamin D3 supplementation from 1 to 12 months; n = 70 returned for follow-up at 3-years.

Outcome measures: The main outcome was GMD using the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 which includes gross motor quotient (GMQ) and stationary, locomotion and object manipulation subtests.

Results: GMQ scores were normal (≥85) in 94 %. An interaction between dosage group and season-at-birth (p = 0.01) was observed for GMQ and stationary standardized score; among winter/spring born children, the 1200 IU/d scored higher vs. 400 and 800 IU/d groups. Object manipulation standardized score was higher (p = 0.04) in children in the 1200 vs. 400 IU/d group, without interaction with season-at-birth.

Conclusions: GMD in young children who received 400 IU/d of supplemental vitamin D in infancy is not influenced by season-at-birth. This dose of vitamin D of 400 IU/d as recommended in North America adequately supports GMD. The modest enhancement in GMD with 1200 IU/d in winter/spring born children requires further study.

Keywords: Gross motor development; Infant; Season; Vitamin D supplementation.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Child
Child, Preschool
Cholecalciferol* / therapeutic use
Dietary Supplements*
Double-Blind Method
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Infant
Pregnancy
Vitamin D
Vitamins

Substances

Vitamins
Vitamin D
Cholecalciferol

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding