Vitamin D Supplementation of Breastfed Infants in Canada: Key Statistics and Graphics (2007-2008)

Key statistics and graphics on the vitamin D supplementation of breastfed infants in Canada from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), 2007-2008 are presented below.Footnote 1

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 2007-2008 collected data on vitamin D supplementation 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.

  • Supplements containing vitamin D were provided to 67.0% of infants fed only breast milk.

Vitamin D supplementation of breastfed infants 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

  • At the national level, the percent of mothers who gave their infant a vitamin D supplement (when they were only fed breast milk) tended to increase with increasing income. Significantly fewer mothers in the first (lowest) income quintile (57.8%) gave a vitamin D supplement than did mothers in the fifth (highest) income quintile (63.2%).Footnote 2

Highest level of education attained

  • Significantly fewer mother's with less than a secondary education (55.7%) and some post-secondary education (59.2%) gave a vitamin D supplement than did women who were post secondary graduates (69.4%).

Percent of breastfeeding mothers who provided a supplement containing Vitamin D by income and education, Canada, 2007-2008

This bar graph shows the percent of breastfeeding mothers who provided a supplement containing Vitamin D to their last child by income and education for the data collection period 2007-2008 of the Canadian Community Health Survey.

In Canada overall, 67.0 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
In income quintile 1, 57.8 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
In income quintile 2, 67.9 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
In income quintile 3, 68.5 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
In income quintile 4, 72.6 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
In income quintile 5, 73.9 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among those with less than secondary graduation, 55.7 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among those with secondary graduation, 63.7 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among those with some post-secondary education, 59.2 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among those with post-secondary graduation, 69.4 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.

Percent of breastfeeding mothers who provided a supplement containing Vitamin D by income and education, Canada, 2007-2008

Cultural/racial background

  • The percent of AsianFootnote 3 (69.7%), Black (66.4%), and White (67.6%) mothers, as well as mothers of other cultural/racial backgroundsFootnote 4 (57.7%), who gave a vitamin D supplement to their breastfed infant, were similar.

Aboriginal status

  • The percent of off-reserve Aboriginal mothersFootnote 5 (61.9%) and non-Aboriginal mothers (67.3%) who gave a vitamin D supplement to their breastfed infant were similar.

Percent of breastfeeding mothers who provided a supplement containing Vitamin D by cultural/racial background and Aboriginal status, Canada, 2007-2008

This bar graph shows the percent of breastfeeding mothers who provided a supplement containing Vitamin D to their last child by cultural/racial background and Aboriginal status for the data collection period 2007-2008 of the Canadian Community Health Survey.

In Canada overall, 67.0 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among those with Asian cultural/racial background, 69.7 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among those with Black cultural/racial background, 66.4 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among those with White cultural/racial background, 67.6 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among those with Other cultural/racial background, 57.7 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among Aboriginals, 61.9 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among Non-Aboriginals, 67.3 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.

Percent of breastfeeding mothers who provided a supplement containing Vitamin D by cultural/racial background and Aboriginal status, Canada, 2007-2008

Age

  • Significantly fewer mothers aged 15-24 (61.3%) gave a vitamin D supplement than did mothers aged 25-55 (65.1%-69.1%).

Marital status

  • The percentage of married (68.1%), common-law (69.0%), separated (58.7%), divorced (55.0Footnote 7%), and single (59.2%) mothers who gave a vitamin D supplement to their breastfed infant were similar.

Area of residence

  • The percent of rural mothers (62.6%) and urban mothers (67.9%) who gave a vitamin D supplement to their breastfed infant were similar.Footnote 6

Percent of breastfeeding mothers who provided a supplement containing Vitamin D by age, marital status and area of residence, Canada, 2007-2008

This bar graph shows the percent of breastfeeding mothers who provided a supplement containing Vitamin D to their last child by age, marital status and area of residence for the data collection period 2007-2008 of the Canadian Community Health Survey.

In Canada overall, 67.0 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among women aged 15-24, 61.3 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among women aged 25-34, 69.1 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among women aged 35-55, 65.1 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among women now married/common-law, 68.3 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among women widowed/separated/divorced/single, 58.8 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among women residing in an urban area, 67.9 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.
Among women residing in a rural area, 62.7 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing Vitamin D.

Percent of breastfeeding mothers who provided a supplement containing Vitamin D by age, marital status and area of residence, Canada, 2007-2008

Vitamin D supplementation of breastfed infants by region

In 2007-2008, the percent of mothers who gave a vitamin D supplement to their breastfed infant in Ontario was significantly lower than the national average.  The percent of mothers providing a Vitamin D supplement was significantly higher than the national average in the Prairies.

Percentage of breastfeeding mothers who gave a supplement containing Vitamin D by region, Canada, 2009-2010

This map of Canada shows the percentage of breastfeeding mothers who gave a supplement containing vitamin D to their last baby in six Canadian regions for the data collection period 2009-2010 of the Canadian Community Health Survey. It also shows whether the percentage of mothers who gave a supplement containing vitamin D in each region was significantly below the Canadian average, near the Canadian average or significantly above the Canadian average. It is based on information provided by females aged 15 to 55 who had a baby in the last 5 years. Mothers were asked if they gave their baby a vitamin supplement containing vitamin D when their last baby was fed only breast milk.

In Canada overall, 74.1 percent of exclusively breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing vitamin D.
In British-Columbia, 76.1 percent of exclusively breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing vitamin D. The percentage of breastfeeding mothers who gave a supplement containing vitamin D to their baby in British-Columbia is near the Canadian average.
In the Prairie region, which includes Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, 82.8 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing vitamin D. The percentage of breastfeeding mothers who gave a supplement containing vitamin D to their baby in the Prairie region is above the Canadian average.
In Ontario, 68.9 percent of exclusively breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing vitamin D. The percentage of breastfeeding mothers who gave a supplement containing vitamin D to their baby in Ontario is below the Canadian average.
In Quebec, 74.5 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing vitamin D. The percentage of breastfeeding mothers who gave a supplement containing vitamin D to their baby in Quebec is near the Canadian average.
In the Atlantic region, which includes New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, 71.4 percent of breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing vitamin D. The percentage of breastfeeding mothers who gave a supplement containing vitamin D to their baby in the Atlantic region is near the Canadian average.
In the Territories, which include Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, 79.1 percent of exclusively breastfeeding mothers provided a supplement containing vitamin D. The percent of breastfeeding mothers who gave a supplement containing vitamin D to their baby in the Territories is near the Canadian average.

Percent of breastfeeding mothers who gave a supplement containing Vitamin D by region, Canada, 2007-2008

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