Breastfeeding and vitamin D status in Greece during the first 6 months of life

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Abstract
Since no foods are vitamin D supplemented in Greece, vitamin D status was assessed in mothers at birth and their infants up to the first 6 months of life, while they were exclusively breast-fed. This was a prospective study. Full-terms ( n =35) born during the summer-autumn months and their mothers were assigned to the summer group and the remainder ( n =31) to the winter group. One week after birth, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) was significantly lower in the winter-born than in the summer-born neonates (6.7±0.7 vs. 10.1±0.9 ng/ml, P P P P =0.10) were observed in the infants born in the winter. In the summer-born infants, serum 25OHD did not change but iPTH had increased significantly by the 3rd month (59.4±21.8, P P P P P Conclusion:Neonates who are breast-fed exclusively during the first 6 months of life are in need of vitamin D supplementation irrespective of the season even in a sunny country like Greece where foods are not supplemented.