Evidence of low vitamin D intakes in the Australian population points to a need for data-driven nutrition policy for improving population vitamin D status |
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| Authors: | Eleanor Dunlop Julie L. Boorman Tracy L. Hambridge Jessica McNeill Anthony P. James Mairead Kiely Caryl A. Nowson Anna Rangan Judy Cunningham Paul Adorno Paul Atyeo Lucinda J. Black |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia;2. Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Majura Park, ACT Australia;3. Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland;4. Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia;5. Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia;6. National Measurement Institute, Port Melbourne, VIC, Australia;7. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Belconnen, ACT Australia |
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| Abstract: | Background Nearly one in four Australian adults is vitamin D deficient (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations [25(OH)D] < 50 nmol L–1) and current vitamin D intakes in the Australian population are unknown. Internationally, vitamin D intakes are commonly below recommendations, although estimates generally rely on food composition data that do not include 25(OH)D. We aimed to estimate usual vitamin D intakes in the Australian population. Methods Nationally representative food consumption data were collected for Australians aged ≥ 2 years (n = 12,153) as part of the cross-sectional 2011–2013 Australian Health Survey (AHS). New analytical vitamin D food composition data for vitamin D3, 25(OH)D3, vitamin D2 and 25(OH)D2 were mapped to foods and beverages that were commonly consumed by AHS participants. Usual vitamin D intakes (µg day–1) by sex and age group were estimated using the National Cancer Institute method. Results Assuming a 25(OH)D bioactivity factor of 1, mean daily intakes of vitamin D ranged between 1.84 and 3.25 µg day–1. Compared to the estimated average requirement of 10 µg day–1 recommended by the Institute of Medicine, more than 95% of people had inadequate vitamin D intakes. We estimated that no participant exceeded the Institute of Medicine's Upper Level of Intake (63–100 µg day–1, depending on age group). Conclusions Usual vitamin D intakes in Australia are low. This evidence, paired with the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Australia, suggests that data-driven nutrition policy is required to safely increase dietary intakes of vitamin D and improve vitamin D status at the population level. |
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| Keywords: | 25-hydroxyvitamin D Australia food usual intakes vitamin D |
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