. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Aug 7.

Published in final edited form as: Health Technol Assess. 2014 Jul;18(45):1–190. doi: 10.3310/hta18450

Table 17. The effect of vitamin D supplementation in gestation on offspring anthropometry and body composition – intervention studies.

First Author, year	Risk of bias	Setting	Randomisation and study Details, Age at which children were assessed and technique used	Offspring outcome assessed (units)	Adjustments/ confounders accounted for	Number of weeks gestation when 25(OH)D was measured	Mean (SE) maternal 25(OH)D concentration (nmol/l)	Mean (SD)/ Mean (SE)* offspring outcome (units) in un-supplemented group		Mean (SD)/ Mean (SE)* offspring outcome(units) in supplemented group		Conclusion
Brooke 1980 ⁴	−2 (high)	London, UK, n=126, all Asian women	Double-blinded Randomised to either placebo (n=67) or 1000 IU/day of vitamin D2 in last trimester (n=59) Offspring assessed within 48 hours of birth. Method of measurement not given	Triceps skinfold (mm) Forearm length (cm) Fontanelle area (cm²)	Nil, but groups of similar age, height, parity, offspring sex, length of gestation	28−32 weeks and at birth	At allocation 25(OH)D =20.1 (1.9)* At term, Controls 25(OH)D=16.2 (2.7)* At term, supplemented group 25(OH)D=168.0 (12.5)*	Triceps skinfold (cm)	3.6 (0.1)*	Triceps skinfold (cm)	3.8 (0.1)*	Significantly greater fontanelle area in the supplemented group (p<0.05). No significant difference in forearm length or triceps skinfold thickness
								Forearm length (cm)	8.1 (0.1)*	Forearm length (cm)	8.1 (0.1)*
								Fontanelle area	6.1 (0.7)*	Fontanelle area	4.1 (0.4)*
Marya, 1988 ⁶	−2 (high)	Rohtak, India N=200 women	Randomised to either no supplement (n=100) or oral 600,000 IU vitamin D3; 2 doses in 7^th and 8^th months gestation (n=100) Offspring measured within the first 24 hours of birth using calipers and measuring tape	Mid-arm circumference (cm) Triceps skinfold thickness (mm) Infrascascapular skinfold thickness (mm)	Nil, but groups had similar maternal age, maternal height, maternal height, parity, haemoglobin, calcium intake and vitamin D intake	Not measured	Not measured directly, but mean daily vitamin D intake given as follows: Un-supplemented = 35.71 (6.17) IU/day Supplemented group = 35.01 (7.13) IU/day	Mid-arm circum (cm)	9.44 (0.85)	Mid-arm circum (cm)	9.82 (0.72)	Significantly higher mid-arm circumference, triceps skinfold and infrascapular skinfold in the supplemented group (all p<0.01)
								Triceps skinfold (mm)	7.30 (0.83)	Triceps skinfold (mm)	7.72 (0.67)
								Infrascap skinfold (mm)	7.49 (0.89)	Infrascap skinfold (mm)	7.82 (0.67)