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Objectives. Investigate the effect of using short bursts of moderate-intensity activity between meals to lower hyperglycaemia on glucose metrics. Design and Methods. Children and young people with type 1 diabetes (CYPD) attending continuous glucose monitoring education were taught to use moderate-intensity activity to lower high glucose levels (to <10.0 mmol/L using 10–15 minlowers ∼2.0 mmol/L) between meals. Retrospective cross-sectional data analysis of CYPD at a single tertiary centre between 2019 and 2022. Data were collected on demographics and glucose metrics (HbA1c, time in range (TIR, 3.9–10.0 mmol/L), time above range (TAR, >10.0 mmol/L), time below range (TBR, <3.9 mmol/L)). Minutes of activity usually performed to lower a glucose level of 14.0 mmol/L trending steady at 6 months grouped the CYPD into low (<5 min), mild (5–10 min), or moderate (11–20 min) activity groups. Results. 125 (n = 53, 40% male) CYPD with a mean (standard deviations) age of 12.3 (±3.7) years and diabetes duration of 7.0 ± 3.7 years were included. HbA1c improved from 58.5 (±8.6) mmol/mol at baseline to 54.9 (±7.2) mmol/mol at 6 months (p < 0.001). Low, mild, and moderate activity was reported by 30% (n = 37), 34% (n = 43), and 36% (n = 45), respectively. At 6 months, HbA1c (52.0 vs. 54.3 vs. 59.4 mmol/mol, p < 0.001), TIR (68.0% vs. 59.71 vs. 51.1%, p < 0.001) and TAR (29.9% vs. 38.3% vs. 45.3%, p < 0.001) were significantly different across the moderate, mild, and low activity groups, respectively. No association was found for TBR (2.16% vs. 2.32% vs. 2.58%, p = 0.408) across groups. Conclusion. Increasing the use of moderate-intensity activity to lower hyperglycaemia between meals is associated with improved glucose control without increasing hypoglycaemia for CYPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Facilitated self‐management support programmes have become central to the treatment of chronic diseases including diabetes. For many children and young people with diabetes (CYPD), the impact on glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and a range of self‐management behaviours promised by these programmes remain unrealised. This warrants an appraisal of current thinking and the existing evidence to guide the development of programmes better targeted at this age group. Methods: Create a narrative review of systematic reviews produced in the last 3 years that have explored the impact on CYPD of the four key elements of self‐management support programmes: education, instruction and advice including peer support; psychological counselling via a range of therapies; self‐monitoring, including diaries and telemetric devices; and telecare, the technology‐enabled follow‐up and support by healthcare providers. Results: Games and gamification appear to offer a promising means of engaging and educating CYPD. Psychological interventions when delivered by trained practitioners, appear to improve HbA1c and quality of life although effect sizes were small. Technology‐enabled interactive diaries can increase the frequency of self‐monitoring and reduce levels of HbA1c. Telecare provided synchronously via telephone produced significant improvements in HbA1c. Conclusions: The cost‐effective flexibility of increasing the reliance on technology is an attractive proposition; however, there are resource implications for digital connectivity in underserved populations. The need remains to improve the understanding of which elements of each component are most effective in a particular context, and how to optimise the influence and input of families, caregivers and peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrition-acquired osteomalacia is a bone mineralization disorder associated with dietary calcium and/or solar vitamin D deficiency, risk factors considered common in the Middle Eastern region. Establishing less invasive, cheap, and widely available diagnostic markers for this underdiagnosed entity is essential, in particular for screening in high-risk groups. This study assessed the prevalence of biochemical osteomalacia in Arab adolescents. In this cross-sectional study performed between September 2019 and March 2021, adolescents aged 12–17 years from 60 different secondary and preparatory year schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were included. Anthropometrics and fasting blood samples were collected. Biochemical osteomalacia was defined as any two of the following four serum markers of hypomineralization, namely low 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD < 30 nmol/L), high alkaline phosphatase (ALP), low calcium (Ca), and/or inorganic phosphorous (Pi). A total of 2938 Arab adolescents [1697 girls; mean age (years) 14.8 ± 1.8; 1241 boys; mean age 15.1 ± 1.6] were recruited. Vitamin D deficiency was noted in 56.2% (n = 953) of girls and 27.1% (n = 336) of boys (p < 0.001). The overall prevalence of biochemical osteomalacia was 10.0% (n = 295/2938) and was higher in girls than boys (14.7% vs. 3.6%, p < 0.001). The prevalence of low serum Ca and/or Pi was also higher in girls than in boys (24.2% vs. 12.5%, respectively, p < 0.001), as well as elevated ALP (5.1% vs. 1.5%, p < 0.001). Overall, girls were 4.6 times (95% CI 3.3–6.4) more likely to have biochemical osteomalacia than boys. Screening of apparently healthy Arab adolescents revealed a high prevalence of deranged mineralization markers suggestive of biochemical osteomalacia, which was significantly more common in girls than boys and was likely associated with Arab traditional clothing and diet. The proposed combination of typically altered mineralization markers for the diagnosis of osteomalacia is, at best, suggestive until further comparisons with established diagnostic tools (histological analysis of bone biopsies) are conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused mild illness in children, until the emergence of the novel hyperinflammatory condition paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (PIMS-TS). PIMS-TS is thought to be a post-SARS-CoV-2 immune dysregulation with excessive inflammatory cytokine release. We studied 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations in children with PIMS-TS, admitted to a tertiary paediatric hospital in the UK, due to its postulated role in cytokine regulation and immune response. Eighteen children (median (range) age 8·9 (0·3-14·6) years, male = 10) met the case definition. The majority were of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) origin (89 %, 16/18). Positive SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were present in 94 % (17/18) and RNA by PCR in 6 % (1/18). Seventy-eight percentage of the cohort were vitamin D deficient (< 30 nmol/l). The mean 25OHD concentration was significantly lower when compared with the population mean from the 2015/16 National Diet and Nutrition Survey (children aged 4–10 years) (24 v. 54 nmol/l (95 % CI −38·6, −19·7); P < 0·001). The paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) group had lower mean 25OHD concentrations compared with the non-PICU group, but this was not statistically significant (19·5 v. 31·9 nmol/l; P = 0·11). The higher susceptibility of BAME children to PIMS-TS and also vitamin D deficiency merits contemplation. Whilst any link between vitamin D deficiency and the severity of COVID-19 and related conditions including PIMS-TS requires further evidence, public health measures to improve vitamin D status of the UK BAME population have been long overdue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: 1. To determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on bone age (BA), a marker of skeletal maturity, and Bone Health Index (BHI), a surrogate marker of bone density. 2. To characterise the differences in nutritional intake and anthropometry between children with advanced vs. delayed BA. Methods: The current study is a post hoc analysis of radiographs obtained as part of a randomised controlled trial. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, deprived Afghan children (n = 3046) aged 1–11 months were randomised to receive six doses of oral placebo or vitamin D3 (100,000 IU) every 3 months for 18 months. Dietary intake was assessed through semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires at two time points. Anthropometric measurements were undertaken at baseline and 18 months. Serum 25OHD was measured at five time points on a random subset of 632 children. Knee and wrist radiographs were obtained from a random subset (n = 641), of which 565 wrist radiographs were digitised for post-hoc analysis of BA and BHI using BoneXpert version 3.1. Results: Nearly 93% (522, male = 291) of the images were analysable. The placebo (n = 258) and vitamin D (n = 264) groups were comparable at baseline. The mean (± SD) age of the cohort was 2 (± 0.3) years. At study completion, there was no difference in mean 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentrations [47 (95% CI 41, 56) vs. 55 (95% CI 45, 57) nmol/L, p = 0.2], mean (± SD) BA SDS [− 1.04 (1.36) vs. − 1.14 (1.26) years, p = 0.3] or mean (± SD) BHI SDS [− 0.30 (0.86) vs. − 0.31 (0.80), p = 0.8] between the placebo and vitamin D groups, respectively. Children with advanced skeletal maturity (BA SDS ≥ 0) when compared to children with delayed skeletal maturity (BA SDS < 0), had consumed more calories [mean (± SD) calories 805 (± 346) vs 723 (± 327) kcal/day, respectively, p < 0.05], were significantly less stunted (height SDS − 1.43 vs. − 2.32, p < 0.001) and underweight (weight SDS − 0.82 vs. − 1.45, p < 0.001), with greater growth velocity (11.57 vs 10.47 cm/ year, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Deprived children have significant delay in skeletal maturation but no substantial impairment in bone health as assessed by BHI. BA delay was influenced by total calorie intake, but not bolus vitamin D supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D and calcium are key determinants of bone health; deficiency in either or both can cause nutritional rickets in children and osteomalacia in children and adults. Vitamin D is essential for absorption and supply of calcium and phosphate for bone mineralisation. Individuals at risk of deficiency in either nutrient can be broadly classed into 2 categories; healthy at-risk population and those with pre-disposition due to underlying chronic health conditions. In the former, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) predominantly results from restricted Ultraviolet B, either due to environmental (high latitude residence), biological (dark skin pigmentation) or behavioural (sun avoidance, covered clothing) factors. Calcium deficiency is predominant in individuals with restricted diet. Only a small fraction of children, during states of high physiological demands such as infancy and adolescence, come to medical attention with symptomatic VDD (hypocalcaemic seizures, dilated cardiomyopathy, tetany) or rickets. The vast majority of at-risk population with osteomalacia (including pregnant women) remain unrecognised due to its non-specific presentation (malaise, tiredness). Clinicians can play an active role in recognising risk groups and optimising bone health through promotion of dietary calcium, vitamin D supplementation at every health care contact and biochemical surveillance in individuals with chronic conditions. Liberal supplementation of at-risk groups is more effective than biochemical testing; however large-scale prevention requires political support to implement robust supplementation and food fortification policies. This article briefly outlines what clinicians need to know about vitamin D and bone health in children and young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D is mainly made in the skin following exposure to sunlight but can also be taken in via specific natural or fortified food sources. It is essential for intestinal calcium absorption and thereby bone mineralisation. Deficiency in vitamin D, or low dietary calcium intake, therefore results in defective bone mineralisation causing osteomalacia in children and adults and rickets in growing children. The leading causes of rickets and osteomalacia worldwide are solar vitamin D deficiency and/or nutritional calcium deficiency. Long-standing severe vitamin D deficiency can lead to craniotabes, large fontanelle, leg bowing, stunted growth and obstructed labour. The deficient state in the infant is almost always acquired from the mother. Therefore, robust antenatal and infant vitamin D supplementation programmes are obligatory to prevent complications. Conversely, lack of programme monitoring and conflicting recommendations can lead to confusion among healthcare professionals and poor uptake in the population. Factors shown to improve adherence to supplementation include universal supplementation of breast- and bottle-fed infants, monitoring supplementation at antenatal/postnatal healthcare visits, providing information to families at discharge from the neonatal unit and financial family support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]