Supplementation should continue until the child is consuming at least 500 mL/day of formula or milk containing vitamin D. True or False?

Supplementation should continue until the child is consuming at least 500 mL/day of formula or milk containing vitamin D. True or False?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not recommended
• D. Depends on age

Answer: (A)

The important idea is that vitamin D needs in infancy are met either by a daily supplement or by enough fortified dietary intake, so we stop supplementation only when the diet provides enough vitamin D on its own. Breastfed infants get 400 IU of vitamin D daily through supplementation because breast milk is low in vitamin D. If the infant is consuming vitamin D–fortified formula or fortified milk in sufficient amounts, the vitamin D they receive from that diet can meet or nearly meet the daily requirement, making extra supplementation unnecessary. The threshold of about 500 mL/day of fortified formula or milk is a practical marker indicating that the diet is providing enough vitamin D, so supplementation can be discontinued. If the child isn’t reaching that level of fortified intake, continuing the supplement helps prevent deficiency.

The important idea is that vitamin D needs in infancy are met either by a daily supplement or by enough fortified dietary intake, so we stop supplementation only when the diet provides enough vitamin D on its own. Breastfed infants get 400 IU of vitamin D daily through supplementation because breast milk is low in vitamin D. If the infant is consuming vitamin D–fortified formula or fortified milk in sufficient amounts, the vitamin D they receive from that diet can meet or nearly meet the daily requirement, making extra supplementation unnecessary. The threshold of about 500 mL/day of fortified formula or milk is a practical marker indicating that the diet is providing enough vitamin D, so supplementation can be discontinued. If the child isn’t reaching that level of fortified intake, continuing the supplement helps prevent deficiency.