Abstract
Objectives
Previous studies have shown that consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal is associated with higher dietary intake of vitamin D; however, little is known about the association between RTE cereal consumption and vitamin D status measured by the serum biomarker, 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The study was conducted to examine association between consumption of RTE cereal and serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the clinical biomarker for vitamin D status in children and adults in the United States.
Methods
Children aged 1–18 years old (N = 2553) and adults aged 19 years or older (N = 4901) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013–2014 were included in the study. Day 1 dietary data were used to classify participants by RTE cereal consumption status. Vitamin D deficiency and inadequacy were assessed by serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitaminD using cut-off values recommended by the National Academy of Medicine. Adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using survey logistic regression for associations between RTEC consumption and vitamin D status in children and adults.
Results
Both children and adults who reported RTE cereal consumption had a significantly higher level of serum 25-hydroxyitamin D than children and adults who did not consume RTE cereal (P < 0.05). Adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, family income to poverty ratio, season of data collection, and use of vitamin D containing supplements, children who consumed RTE cereal were less likely to have vitamin D inadequacy than non-eaters (aOR = 0.48, 95% CI = [0.34, 0.68]). In adults, RTEC eaters were less likely to have vitamin D deficiency than non-eaters (aOR = 0.52, 95% CI = [0.28, 0.97]).
Conclusions
Consumption of RTE cereal is associated with better vitamin D status in both children and adults in the United States.
Funding Sources
The study was funded by the Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition, General Mills, Inc.
Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors and the Serum Levels of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in the United States