Iron and vitamin D defiency in healthy young children in Western-Europe despite current nutrional recommendations

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Iron deficiency (ID) and vitamin D deficiency (VDD) are the 2 most common micronutrient deficiencies in young children worldwide and may lead to impaired neurodevelopment and rickets, respectively. Risk factors for ID and VDD differ between populations. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for ID and VDD in 12- to 36-month-old children in Western Europe. METHODS: This study took place in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom from 2012 to 2014. A venous blood sample was taken to establish iron and vitamin D status. ID was defined as serum ferritin <12 μg/L in the absence of infection (high sensitivity C-reactive protein <10 mg/L). VDD was defined as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D