Vitamin D Supplementation of Breastfed Infants in Canada: Key Statistics and Graphics (2009-2010)

The 2009-2010  Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) asked women who had given birth in the last 5 years whether they provided a supplement containing vitamin D during the time their infant was fed only breast milk.

Key statistics and graphics on the vitamin D supplementation of breastfed infants in Canada from the CCHS 2009-2010 are presented below.^{Footnote 1} In the descriptions below, a difference between two estimates is considered statistically significant when the 95% confidence intervals do not overlap.

• Vitamin D supplementation of breastfed infants
• Vitamin D supplementation of breastfed infants by selected socio-demographic characteristics
• Vitamin D supplementation of breastfed infants by region

Vitamin D Supplementation of Breastfed Infants

Vitamin D supplementation refers to the recommended practice of providing breastfed infants with a supplement containing vitamin D. Although it is recommended that all breastfed infants receive a supplement containing vitamin D, the CCHS 2009-2010 collected data on vitamin D supplementation only when a baby was fed only breast milk (the results of which are presented below). The frequency or regularity with which the supplement was given is not known. The question on vitamin D supplementation was asked of mothers between the ages of 15 and 55 who had given birth in the last 5 years.

Vitamin D supplementation in 2009-2010

• Supplements containing vitamin D were provided to 74.1% of infants fed only breast milk.

Trends in vitamin D supplementation

• The percentage of mothers who provided vitamin D supplementation when their child was fed only breast milk increased significantly with every CCHS cycle. It rose from 52.8% in 2003 to 74.1% in 2009-2010.

Vitamin D supplementation of infants fed only breast milk by selected socio-demographic characteristics

The percentage of mothers who provided a vitamin D supplement when their child was fed only breast milk varied by selected socio-demographic characteristics.

Household income

• Significantly fewer mothers in the lowest (67.3%) and second income quintile (73.0%) gave a vitamin D supplement than did mothers in the highest income quintile (83.0%).^{Footnote 2}

Highest level of education attained

• Significantly fewer mothers with less than a secondary education (63.7%) or with secondary graduation (65.1%) gave a vitamin D supplement than did mothers who were post-secondary graduates (77.5%).

Cultural/racial background

• Significantly fewer Black mothers (57.5%) than White mothers (75.9%) gave a vitamin D supplement to their infant fed only breast milk.^{Footnote 3, Footnote 4}

Aboriginal status

• The percentage of off-reserve Aboriginal mothers^{Footnote 5} (72.9%) and non-Aboriginal mothers (74.5%) who gave a vitamin D supplement to their infant fed only breast milk was similar.

Immigrant status

• The percentage of non-immigrant, non-recent and recent immigrant mothers who gave a vitamin D supplement to their infant fed only breast milk was similar.^{Footnote 6}

Mother's Age

• The percentage of mothers who gave a vitamin D supplement to their infant fed only breast milk was similar across mother's age groups.

Marital status

• Significantly more married/common-law mothers (75.4%) gave a vitamin D supplement to their infant fed only breast milk than single/divorced/separated/widowed mothers (65.8%).

Area of residence

• The percentage of mothers who gave a vitamin D supplement to their infant fed only breast milk was similar between urban and rural areas of residence.^{Footnote 7}

Vitamin D supplementation of infants fed only breast milk by region

In 2009-2010, the percentage of mothers who gave a vitamin D supplement to their infant fed only breast milk in Ontario was significantly lower than the national average. The percentage of mothers providing a vitamin D supplement was significantly higher than the national average in the Prairies.

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