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BackgroundA great number of children and adolescents worldwide suffer from physiological Vitamin D (VD) deficiency, which has been associated to the sun exposure and, consequently, to the risk of the development of various autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, the association of the disease with VD intake and sun exposure have yet to be explored.Materials and methodsWe conducted a food frequency questionnaire and 24-hour recall food survey, using “Ciqual table 2016” in 335 type 1 diabetic and age- and gender-matched healthy Algerian school children and teenager pupils from sunny Saharan and relatively less sunny Northern regions, aged between 5 and 19 years old.ResultsBoth dietary VD intake and VD levels were similar in T1D patients when comparing between North and South regions (for the two comparisons, p > 0.05). Neither sun exposure, nor VD intake was associated with the disease (respectively, relative risk [RR] = 1.050, p = 0.680; RR = 1.082, p = 1.000. For Cochran and Mantel-Haenszel analysis; RR = 0.841, p = 0.862). VD intake showed a significant difference between diabetics and non-diabetics in sunny region (p = 0.022). Additionally, significant differences were highlighted between normal and T1D schoolboys (p = 0.038), and when comparing the two groups according to the dry areas (p = 0.016). Moreover, in contrast with the levels of circulating VD, which is decreased in T1D patients than in healthy controls, those of VD intake was significantly higher (p < 0.05), especially in male patients and in those with balanced diet, poor protein or carbohydrate consumption, a particular food intolerance, and a regular meal (p < 0.05), as well as in patients with a moderate or low consumption of cooked meals or steamed food (p < 0.01). Conversely, VD intake was markedly lower in type 1 diabetics than in controls regarding dry sunny region, including Adrar area, as well as in low fatty foods and eggs consumption (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). Nevertheless, relative risk of sun exposure and dietary vitamin D intake according to the WHO standard showed no significant association with T1D (common Mantel-Haenszel estimation, RR = 0.841, 95% CI 0.118-5.973, p > 0.05).ConclusionsT1D seems to be not associated with VD intake and sun exposure in the Algerian Sahara region. Therefore, the consumption of VD in T1D patients from the Algerian Sahara would suspect that its association with the disease would be related to its synthesis alteration.