Are Chinese infants and children really deficient in vitamins A and D? Is there a risk of overdose with daily preventive doses of vitamin AD supplementation? Do Chinese children have to take vitamin AD supplements together? Are cod liver oil and vitamin AD preparations the same thing? Professor Dai Yaohua, director of the Chinese Society of Preventive Medicine’s Child Health Branch, gives you a comprehensive explanation of vitamin AD supplementation. Parents and pediatricians are often confused about vitamin AD supplementation for infants and young children, so read on to find out the correct way to supplement vitamin AD! Are Chinese children really deficient in vitamins A and D? 1, vitamin D can promote calcium absorption, lack of vitamin D deficiency in children aged 6 months-2 years will lead to vitamin D deficiency rickets; 2, vitamin A is closely related to children’s eyesight, immunity, hematopoietic function, etc.; 3, vitamin D deficiency is common worldwide, vitamin A is moderate deficiency in China; 4, vitamin AD supplementation is different in each country, and cannot be generalized. The correct way to supplement vitamin AD 1. Vitamin AD is very unstable and can be lost during the process of milk powder transportation, opening the lid and brewing; 2. Vitamin AD has a synergistic effect in many aspects, so AD supplementation together will have better effect; 3. Children from 15 days old to 2 years old should take vitamin AD preventive supplementation every day; 4. Taking daily vitamin AD according to the dose prescribed by the doctor will not cause poisoning. Are cod liver oil and vitamin AD the same thing? 1. Vitamin AD belongs to the drug category, while cod liver oil belongs to the food category, so vitamin AD is not equal to cod liver oil; 2. The ratio of vitamin A:D in the drug is 3:1, which is more in line with the nutritional needs of infants and children, while most natural cod liver oil has an A:D ratio of 10:1; 3. Vitamin A and vitamin D are two fat-soluble vitamins necessary for the growth and development of infants and children, and are closely related to the health of infants and children. Vitamin A, also known as the “infection-fighting vitamin,” plays an important role in the immunity, visual development, hematopoiesis and other physiological functions of infants and children. Vitamin A promotes the synthesis of retinol, a light-sensitive substance in the human eye, thereby promoting the development of visual function and preventing vision loss and night blindness. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining the structural and functional integrity of epithelial cells, promoting the defense function of the respiratory and digestive tract mucosa, and promoting the production of antibodies and immune cell function. Therefore, chronic vitamin A deficiency can lead to decreased resistance in infants and children, making them susceptible to recurrent respiratory infections, diarrhea and other diseases. Vitamin A deficiency can also lead to impaired synthesis of transferrin, leading to the development of anemia. The results of a study on the nutritional status of vitamin A in children under 6 years of age in China show that the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and subclinical vitamin A deficiency in children aged 0-6 years is 50%, and the proportion of deficiency in infants under 6 months is even higher, up to 80%, and China is a country with moderate subclinical vitamin A deficiency. Epidemiological surveys in recent years in various provinces show that the prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency in children in coastal areas such as Fujian and Jiangsu is still above 30%, and the deficiency rate in inland cities such as Shaanxi and Chongqing is even higher, approaching 50%. With the continuous influx of foreign populations to cities, the vitamin A health status of children in areas such as Beijing and Shanghai is also not optimistic. Vitamin D plays a key role in calcium absorption, and without sufficient vitamin D, calcium cannot be absorbed and utilized by the body. Especially for infants and young children under 2 years old, insufficient long-term calcium intake will cause rickets, which seriously affects the health of infants and young children. Studies have shown that the two main causes of vitamin D deficiency worldwide are dietary deficiency and insufficient light exposure. In terms of diet, infants and young children are unable to meet the growth and development needs of their babies with simple food supplementation because of their single diet structure and small food intake. As sunlight exposure is influenced by geography, seasons, atmospheric environment and other factors, with the increase of hazy weather in recent years, vitamin D synthesis is insufficient. Pediatric rickets is widely prevalent in China, and the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency rickets among infants and children in urban and rural areas is still as high as 25%. Vitamin A and D deficiency in the pediatric population is global, and each country has different methods of vitamin A and vitamin D supplementation due to differences in race, dietary structure, environmental factors, and economic conditions. In the United States, vitamin A and vitamin D are supplemented separately, i.e., a large dose of 200,000 units of vitamin A once every six months and a small daily dose of vitamin D. In China, vitamin AD is supplemented orally in small doses daily, which is safer and more suitable for our national conditions. In summary, the nutritional status of vitamin A and D for infants and young children in China is not optimistic, and timely supplementation of vitamin AD preparations after birth can help infants and young children grow up healthily.