ArticlePloS one2017
Low 25(OH)-vitamin D concentrations are associated with emotional and behavioral problems in German children and adolescents.
Article in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Influence of Vitamin D Intake and Status on Mental Health in Children: A Systematic Review.Nutrients · 2021Pooled it
- The impact of vitamin D supplementation on depression and anxiety in young individuals with depression and vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency.European journal of nutrition · 2026Trial
- Effect of vitamin D supplementation on inflammatory status and behavioral symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders: a double-blind randomized clinical trial.BMC pediatrics · 2025Trial
- Effect of vitamin D deficiency on depressive symptoms in child and adolescent psychiatric patients: results of a randomized controlled trial.European journal of nutrition · 2020Trial
- Vitamin D +Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation: effects on serum markers and symptoms in ADHD children.American journal of translational research · 2026Article
- Mendelian randomization studies of depression: evidence, opportunities, and challenges.Annals of general psychiatry · 2023Review
- Is vitamin D supplementation program in Iranian schools effective in reducing adolescent depressive symptoms? Cost effectiveness study.BMC public health · 2023Article
- Vitamin D and Probability of Developmental Disorders among Perinatally HIV-Affected and Unaffected Ugandan Children.Nutrients · 2023Article
- Vitamin D level in relation to depression symptoms during adolescence.Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health · 2022Article
- Article
- Quality of life and mental health in adolescent users of oral contraceptives. Results from the nationwide, representative German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS).Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2020Article
- Article
- Vitamin D and the Risk of Depression: A Causal Relationship? Findings from a Mendelian Randomization Study.Nutrients · 2019Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundEvidence has accumulated for the association between low vitamin D serum concentrations and mental health disorders in both children and adults. We performed a cross-sectional analysis in a population-based sample of children and adolescents to detect associations between 25(OH)-vitamin D serum [25(OH)D] concentrations and scores of the five Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) subscales and the total difficulties score in different age groups (age ≥3-<12 years and ≥12-<18 years).
methods9068 participants of the population-based, nation-wide German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KIGGS) with information on mental health status assessed by the SDQ and 25(OH)D levels were included in the analysis. For statistical analysis we used linear regression models stratified by gender based on different adjustment sets. For the younger subsample the analysis was additionally adjusted for the frequency of playing outside. We compared the associations based on parent- and self-ratings of the SDQ for children and adolescents aged ≥12-<18 years.
resultsWe found inverse associations between 25(OH)D concentrations and the subscales emotional problems, peer relationship problems and the total difficulties score in both genders after adjustment for potential confounders. The strongest associations were observed in the older subsample for parent-ratings in boys and self-ratings in girls. In the younger subsample the associations were less strong and no longer evident after adjustment for potential confounders such as migration background, socioeconomic status and frequency of playing outside.
conclusionBased on the large-scale cross-sectional study in a German population-based sample of children and adolescents we detected inverse associations between 25(OH)D concentrations and both parent- and self-rated SDQ scores of the total difficulties scale and different subscales with the strongest association in the subsample aged ≥12-<18 years for both genders. Migration background and socioeconomic status were detected as relevant confounders. Further studies-particularly in countries with comparatively low mean 25(OH)D concentrations-in childhood and adolescence are warranted. Longitudinal studies are also necessary to infer direction of effects. Finally, RCTs in children and adolescents are required to determine whether Vitamin D is beneficial for mental health.
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