Single‑dose vitamin D therapy shown effective for children with IBD

Researchers at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, trialled whether one large dose of vitamin D, called Stoss therapy, could work just as well as taking vitamin D tablets every day for children and young people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Children with IBD often have low vitamin D levels because their bodies absorb nutrients poorly, particularly during IBD flare-ups where they may experience reduced appetite or diet restrictions. Having low vitamin D affects bone health and overall wellbeing and so finding an easier and reliable way to restore these levels is important, especially for those who already are managing a complex medical condition.

The trial monitored the vitamin D levels of 74 children aged between 5 and 18 years over 12 months. The findings demonstrated that there were no differences in health outcomes between those who received Stoss therapy to those taking vitamin D tablets every day.

These results offer a meaningful shift in care. By replacing months of daily tablets with a single high-dose alternative, Stoss therapy has the potential to reduce pill burden, support better adherence and simplify management for children living with IBD.

The full study was published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences in 2025. The research was completed by the Paediatric Gastroenterology Research Group at Kids Research. 

 

Parent-focussed programs alone are insufficient to prevent obesity in early childhood

Early childhood weight is a strong predictor of later health, yet many children begin school already living with overweight or obesity. To better understand how early interventions might influence these outcomes, researchers from the University of Sydney, working with international partners through the TOPCHILD Collaboration, examined whether family‑based early obesity prevention programs could help reduce obesity risk in young children.

Such interventions largely include home visits from health professionals or community parent groups that aim to build healthy habits around diet, physical activity and sleep. 

The landmark study published in The Lancet journal analysed data from 31 international trials, focusing on 17 that measured children’s BMI at age two. The findings showed no meaningful difference in BMI between children whose families participated in these programs and those who did not. This study highlights a need to re-think childhood obesity prevention approaches.

The TOPCHILD Collaboration is part of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in the Early Prevention of Obesity in Childhood, led by the University of Sydney in affiliation with the Obesity Research group at Kids Research.