Dietary intake and food sources of calcium and vitamin D in young children in the Guelph Family Health Study

Canadian research on dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D in young children is limited. This cross-sectional analysis investigated dietary intake and food sources of calcium and vitamin D among 265 preschool-aged children (3.6 ± 1.2 years) in the Guelph Family Health Study via one 24-h dietary recall completed by their parents using the Automated Self-Administered 24-H Dietary Assessment Tool 2016-Canadian version. Median intakes of calcium and vitamin D were 827 mg d-1 [Interquartile range (IQR)=522] and 4.0 μg d-1 (IQR=3.6), respectively. The two most frequently consumed dairy food sources for both nutrients were fluid cow’s milk (78%, n=206) and cheese (60%, n=160), whereas the most frequently consumed non-dairy food sources for calcium were fruits (92%, n=243), bakery products (92%, n=243), and water (92%, n=243), and for vitamin D it was bakery products (74%, n=196). Findings raise concern about low intakes of calcium and vitamin D in young Canadian children.