A small positive effect of protein supplementation on lumbar spine BMD in randomized placebo-controlled trials supports the positive association between protein intake and bone health found in cross-sectional surveys. However, these results were not supported by cohort study findings for hip fracture risk. Any effects found were small and had 95% CIs that were close to zero. Therefore, there is a small benefit of protein on bone health, but the benefit may not necessarily translate into reduced fracture risk in the long term.

These longitudinal data show significant regional and ethnic differences in UVB exposure and vitamin D status for postmenopausal women at northerly latitudes. The numbers of women who are vitamin D deficient is a major concern and public health problem.

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The Rank Forum on Vitamin D was held on 2nd and 3rd July 2009 at the University of Surrey, Guildford, UK. The workshop consisted of a series of scene-setting presentations to address the current issues and challenges concerning vitamin D and health, and included an open discussion focusing on the identification of the concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) (a marker of vitamin D status) that may be regarded as optimal, and the implications this process may have in the setting of future dietary reference values for vitamin D in the UK. The Forum was in agreement with the fact that it is desirable for all of the population to have a serum 25(OH)D concentration above 25 nmol/l, but it discussed some uncertainty about the strength of evidence for the need to aim for substantially higher concentrations (25(OH)D concentrations > 75 nmol/l). Any discussion of 'optimal' concentration of serum 25(OH)D needs to define 'optimal' with care since it is important to consider the normal distribution of requirements and the vitamin D needs for a wide range of outcomes. Current UK reference values concentrate on the requirements of particular subgroups of the population; this differs from the approaches used in other European countries where a wider range of age groups tend to be covered. With the re-emergence of rickets and the public health burden of low vitamin D status being already apparent, there is a need for urgent action from policy makers and risk managers. The Forum highlighted concerns regarding the failure of implementation of existing strategies in the UK for achieving current vitamin D recommendations. Keywords

Research has investigated 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in the Atopic Dermatitis (AD) population, as well as changes in AD severity after vitamin D (VitD) supplementation. We performed an up-to-date systematic review and meta-analysis of these findings. Electronic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and COCHRANE up to February 2018 were performed. Observational studies comparing 25(OH)D between AD patients and controls, as well as trials documenting baseline serum 25(OH)D levels and clinical severity by either SCORAD/EASI scores, were included. Of the 1085 articles retrieved, sixteen were included. A meta-analysis of eleven studies of AD patients vs. healthy controls (HC) found a mean difference of −14 nmol/L (95% CI −25 to −2) for all studies and −16 nmol/L (95% CI −31 to −1) for the paediatric studies alone. A meta-analysis of three VitD supplementation trials found lower SCORAD by −11 points (95% CI −13 to −9, p < 0.00001). This surpasses the Minimal Clinical Important Difference for AD of 9.0 points (by 22%). There were greater improvements in trials lasting three months and the mean weighted dose of all trials was 1500–1600 IU/daily. Overall, the AD population, especially the paediatric subset, may be at high-risk for lower serum 25(OH)D. Supplementation with around 1600 IU/daily results in a clinically meaningful AD severity reduction.

Seafood intake in pregnancy has been positively associated with childhood cognitive outcomes which could potentially relate to the high vitamin D content of oily fish. However, whether higher maternal vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)) in pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk of offspring suboptimal neurodevelopmental outcomes is unclear. A total of 7065 mother-child pairs were studied from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort who had data for both serum total 25(OH)D concentration in pregnancy and at least one measure of offspring neurodevelopment (pre-school development at 6-42 months; 'Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire' scores at 7 years; intelligence quotient (IQ) at 8 years; reading ability at 9 years). After adjustment for confounders, children of vitamin D-deficient mothers (<50·0 nmol/l) were more likely to have scores in the lowest quartile for gross-motor development at 30 months (OR 1·20; 95 % CI 1·03, 1·40), fine-motor development at 30 months (OR 1·23; 95 % CI 1·05, 1·44) and social development at 42 months (OR 1·20; 95 % CI 1·01, 1·41) than vitamin D-sufficient mothers (≥50·0 nmol/l). No associations were found with neurodevelopmental outcomes, including IQ, measured at older ages. However, our results suggest that deficient maternal vitamin D status in pregnancy may have adverse effects on some measures of motor and social development in children under 4 years. Prevention of vitamin D deficiency may be important for preventing suboptimal development in the first 4 years of life.