Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T18:28:06.806Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Vitamin D status in a rural population of northern Norway with high fish liver consumption

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

M Brustad ,
T Sandanger ,
L Aksnes  and
E Lund
M Brustad*
Affiliation:
Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
T Sandanger
Affiliation:
Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Polar Environmental Centre, Tromsø, Norway
L Aksnes
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, University of Bergen, Norway
E Lund
Affiliation:
Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
*
*Corresponding author: Email [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Objective:

To assess vitamin D status and the impact of three fish meals consisting of cod liver and fresh cod-liver oil on the plasma level of vitamin D metabolites in an area with high consumption of cod liver and cod-liver oil.

Design:

Experimental field study.

Methods:

Thirty-two volunteers from the Skjervøy (70°N) municipality in northern Norway were recruited to consume three traditional mølje meals, consisting of cod, cod liver, fresh cod-liver oil and hard roe, in one week. The liver and fresh cod-liver oil consumed by the participants were weighed and recorded. Blood samples were collected before the first meal, and subsequently 12h and 4 days after the last meal. The blood samples were analysed for the vitamin D metabolites 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D). All participants answered a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire, which was used to estimate usual daily nutrient intake. The study was carried out in the last part of March 2001.

Results:

The median daily vitamin D intake estimated from the questionnaire was 9.9μg. The proportion of subjects with baseline 25(OH)D level below 50nmoll−1 was 15.4% and none were below 37.5nmoll−1. Only ‘mølje consumption’ and ‘time spent in daylight’ were significantly associated with baseline log 25(OH)D. The mean total intake of vitamin D in the three servings was 272μg (standard deviation 94μg), ranging from 142 to 434μg. Relative to baseline plasma concentration, the mean level of 25(OH)D decreased slightly in both post-consumption samples (P≤0.03), while 1,25(OH)2D peaked 12h after the final meal (P = 0.03).

Conclusion:

Three mølje meals provided, on average, an amount of vitamin D equal to 54 times the recommended daily dose. Subjects with food consumption habits that included frequent mølje meals during the winter sustained satisfactory vitamin D levels in their blood, in spite of the long ‘vitamin D winter’ (i.e. absence of ultraviolet-induced vitamin D production in the skin).

Keywords

Vitamin D statusArctic dietCod liverCod-liver oilTraditional food
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 7 , Issue 6 , September 2004 , pp. 783 - 789
Copyright
Copyright © CAB International 2004

References

1Holick, MF. Vitamin, D. In: Shils, M, Olson, A, Shike, M, eds. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. Malvern, PA: Lea & Febiger, 1994; 308–25.Google Scholar
2Webb, AR, Kline, L, Holick, MF. Influence of season and latitude on the cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D3: exposure to winter sunlight in Boston and Edmonton will not promote vitamin D3 synthesis in human skin. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 1988; 67(2): 373–8.Google Scholar
3Kloster, J. The distribution and frequency of rickets in one of the fishery districts of Finnmark and relation of diet to the disorder. Acta Paediatrica 1931; 12(Suppl. 3): 1–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Brustad, M, Alsaker, E, Engelsen, O, Aksnes, L, Lund, E. Vitamin D status of middle-aged women at 65–71°N in relation to dietary intake and exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Public Health Nutrition 2004; 7(2): 327–35.Google Scholar
5Hjartaker, A, Lund, E. Relationship between dietary habits, age, lifestyle, and socio-economic status among adult Norwegian women. The Norwegian Women and Cancer Study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1998; 52(8): 565–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6Brustad, M, Sandanger, T, Wilsgaard, T, Aksnes, L, Lund, E. Change in plasma levels of vitamin D after consumption of cod liver and fresh cod-liver oil as part of the traditional north Norwegian fish dish ‘Mølje’. International Journal of Circumpolar Health 2003; 62(1): 40–53.Google Scholar
7Sandström, B, Aro, A, Becker, W, Lyhne, N, Pedersen, JI, Pórsdóttir, I. Nordiska näringsrekommendationer 1996 [Nordic Nutrient Recommendations], 1st ed. Copenhagen: Nordiska Ministerrådet, 1996.Google Scholar
8Holick, MF. The use and interpretation of assays for vitamin D and its metabolites. Journal of Nutrition 1990; 120(Suppl. 1): S1464–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9Lehtonen, VM, Mottonen, T, Irjala, K, Karkkainen, M, Lamberg, AC, Hakola, P, et al. Vitamin D intake is low and hypovitaminosis D common in healthy 9- to 15-year-old Finnish girls. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999; 53(9): 746–51.Google Scholar
10Thomas, MK, Lloyd, JD, Thadhani, RI, Shaw, AC, Deraska, DJ, Kitch, BT, et al. Hypovitaminosis D in medical inpatients. New England Journal of Medicine 1998; 338(12): 777–83.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11Malabanan, A, Veronikis, IE, Holick, MF. Redefining vitamin D insufficiency. Lancet 1998; 351(9105): 805–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Schmidt-Gayk, H, Bouillon, R, Roth, HJ. Measurement of vitamin D and its metabolites (calcidiol and calcitriol) and their clinical significance. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation. Supplementum 1997; 227: 35–45.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13Brustad, M, Braaten, T, Lund, E. Predictors for cod-liver oil supplements use – the Norwegian Women and Cancer Study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2004; 58: 128–36.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14Rimestad, AH, Borgejordet, Å, Vesterhus, KN, Sygnestveit, K, Løken, EB, Trygg, K, et al. Den store matvaretabellen [The Great Food Composition Table], 2nd ed. Oslo: Gyldendal, 2001.Google Scholar
15Horvli, O, Lie, Ø. Determination of vitamin D3 by HPLC. Norwegian Fishery Directorate Report on Nutrition 1994; 6(2): 163–75.Google Scholar
16Aksnes, L. Quantitation of the main metabolites of vitamin D in a single serum sample. II. Determination by UV-absorption and competitive protein binding assays. Clinica Chimica Acta 1980; 104(2): 147–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17Aksnes, L. Quantitation of the main metabolites of vitamin D in a single serum sample. I. Extraction, separation and purification of metabolites. Clinica Chimica Acta 1980; 104(2): 133–46.Google Scholar
18Johansson, L, Solvoll, K, Bjørneboe, G-EA, Drevon, CA. Dietary habits among Norwegian men and women. Scandinavian Journal of Nutrition/Naringsforskning 1997; 41: 63–70.Google Scholar
19Johansson, L, Solvoll, K. Norkost 1997 – Landsomfattende kostholdsundersøkelse blant menn og kvinner i alderen 16–79 år [Nationwide Dietary Survey among Men and Women ages 16–79]. Oslo: Statens råd for ernæring og fysisk aktivitet, 1999.Google Scholar
20Need, AG, Morris, HA, Horowitz, M, Nordin, C. Effects of skin thickness, age, body fat, and sunlight on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1993; 58(6): 882–5.Google Scholar
21Wortsman, J, Matsuoka, LY, Chen, TC, Lu, Z, Holick, MF. Decreased bioavailability of vitamin D in obesity. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000; 72(3): 690–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22Hjartaker, A, Lund, E, Bjerve, KS. Serum phospholipid fatty acid composition and habitual intake of marine foods registered by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1997; 51(11): 736–42.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed