VITALITY Trial

Project status: Active

Research area: Population Health > Population Allergy

The VITALITY Trial aims to determine if vitamin D supplementation leads to a reduction in challenge-proven food allergy.

Australia has the highest rate of childhood food allergy in the world, but the reason for this is largely unknown.

To help close our knowledge gaps, the VITALITY Trial is investigating the relationship between vitamin D, allergic diseases and immune health.

Recruitment for the VITALITY Trial has now closed, with results expected to be published from late 2023 onwards.

Australia has the highest rate of childhood food allergy in the world, but the reason for this is largely unknown.

To help close our knowledge gaps, the VITALITY Trial is investigating the relationship between vitamin D, allergic diseases and immune...

Australia has the highest rate of childhood food allergy in the world, but the reason for this is largely unknown.

To help close our knowledge gaps, the VITALITY Trial is investigating the relationship between vitamin D, allergic diseases and immune health.

Recruitment for the VITALITY Trial has now closed, with results expected to be published from late 2023 onwards.

The VITALITY Trial was established in 2014 to determine whether a daily dose of vitamin D in the first year of life can prevent infant food allergy, lower respiratory infections and eczema.

Children are now being followed up when they turn six to assess vitamin D’s effects on asthma, lung function and oral health.

Using extensive data and biospecimens collected overtime, our researchers aim to discover how vitamin D could be used to prevent allergies and other atopic diseases, and sustain childhood immune health as participants get older.

Between 2014 and 2022, 2,739 babies aged between six and 12 weeks – who were breastfed and not taking vitamin D – were enrolled in the trial at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

Each infant was given a daily drop of vitamin D or placebo until they were 12 months old when they were offered a clinic visit, including free allergy testing and an eczema assessment.

Parents also completed questionnaires about demographic and environmental risk factors, allergic disease and infant feeding behaviours. VITALITY has also collected an extensive range of biospecimens, including blood, skin and nasal swabs, stool and breastmilk at multiple timepoints.

Recruitment closed in 2022, and the final data was collected in 2023. The study team continues to analyse samples and surveys with new results and publications emerging.

As participants get older, VITALITY provides a unique opportunity to explore early-life risk factors, including genetic and environmental markers for food allergy, eczema, asthma, hay fever and other chronic diseases, and understand the role of vitamin D as an early-life preventative strategy for these – and many other – conditions.

Six-year follow-up

In 2022, the team began the age six follow-up to also explore the effects of vitamin D on asthma, lung function and children’s developing teeth.

VITALITY participants are again invited to attend a clinic visit for free allergy testing, as well as lung function, eczema and dental assessments and blood collection.