Prevention of child and adolescent vitamin D deficiency.: I.: Proposition and discussion for use of a decision-making table.

A decision-making table, using three questionnaires, is proposed to determine the vitamin D status in children and adolescents. The first questionnaire assesses the vitamin D endogenous synthesis, taking into account rite sunlight exposure and the time interval out of the sun. The second questionnaire quantifies the vitamin D dietary intake within three levels: optimal medium or low. In case of a medium dietary score, a third questionnaire evaluates the daily calcium intake, taking into account the fact that vitamin D metabolism is increased by a low calcium intake (under 400 mg/day). This decision-making table should enable the detection of children and adolescents at risk of vitamin D deficiency and requiring an adapted prophylaxis. Its accuracy will be assessed in prospective surveys. (C) 1999 Elsevier, Paris.