Vitamin D and Health

8.8 Another problem with assessing vitamin D intakes is that it is found in few foods. Therefore,
consumption/lack of consumption of vitamin D containing foods during the recording period could
have a substantial impact on estimates of habitual intakes. This would be more pronounced for
shorter rather than longer recording periods.
8.9 There is no evidence of under-reporting for vitamin D specifically.
Dietary sources of vitamin D
8.10 In the DNSIYC, infant specific foods were the largest single source of dietary vitamin D, with infant
formula the main contributor to vitamin D intakes in infants (aged 4-18m).
8.11 In the NDNS, meat and meat products were the major contributors to vitamin D intake for all age
groups, except children aged 1.5-3y, providing 23-35% of intake. Milk and milk products were the
major contributors to vitamin D intake for children aged 1.5-3y, providing 24%. ‘Fat spreads’ (most of
which are fortified with vitamin D) contributed 19-21% to intakes across the age groups. Cereals and
cereal products provided 13-20% of intake across the age groups, from fortified breakfast cereals and
from ‘buns, cakes, pastries and fruit pies’ (via fats and eggs used as ingredients).
8.12 Fish and fish dishes (mainly from oily fish) made a greater contribution to the vitamin D intake of
adults (17-23%) compared to children (8-9%).
8.13 In LIDNS the main sources of vitamin D were meat and meat products (adults, 30%; children, 32%) and
fat spreads (26% for adults and children). Cereals and cereal products made a greater contribution to
vitamin D intakes of children than adolescents (about 20% in children aged 2-10y compared with
around 15% in adolescents ages 11-18y).
8.14 The vitamin D content of the main dietary sources of vitamin D is provided in Table 1.
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