Assessment of the vitamin D status and its determinants in young healthy students from Palestine
- authored by
- Janina Susann Lenz, Nathan Tintle, Felix Kerlikowsky, Manal Badrasawi, Rana Zahdeh, Radwan Qasrawi, Andreas Hahn, Jan Philipp Schuchardt
- Abstract
The global prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is high. Poor vitamin D status, especially in women, has been reported in several countries in the Middle East despite adequate year-round sunlight for vitamin D synthesis. However, data on vitamin D status in Palestine are scarce. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate vitamin D status based on serum concentrations of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25-(OH)D] among young healthy Palestinian students (18-27 years) and to assess associations between 25-(OH)D concentrations and several predictors. The mean 25-(OH)D concentration of women (n 151) was 27·2 ± 14·5 nmol/l, with the majority having insufficient (31·1%) or deficient (<60%) 25-(OH)D status. Only 7% of women achieved sufficient or optimal 25-(OH)D status. In contrast, men (n 52) had a mean 25-(OH)D concentration of 58·3 ± 14·5 nmol/l, with none classified as deficient, and most obtaining sufficient (55·8%) or even optimal 25-(OH)D status (11·5%). Among women, 98% wore a hijab and 74% regularly used sunscreen. Daily dietary vitamin D intake (3-d 24-h recalls) was 45·1 ± 36·1 IU in the total group (no sex differences). After adjustment, multiple linear regression models showed significant associations between 25-(OH)D concentrations and the use of supplements (B = 0·069; P = 0·020) and dietary vitamin D (B = 0·001; P = 0·028). In gender-stratified analysis, the association between supplement use and 25-(OH)D concentrations was significant in women (B = 0·076; P = 0·040). The vitamin D status of women in the present cohort is critical and appears to be mainly due to wearing a hijab, regular use of sunscreen and low dietary vitamin D intake. The vitamin D status of the women should be improved by taking vitamin D containing supplements or fortified foods.
- Organisation(s)
-
Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Nutrition Physiology and Human Nutrition Section
- External Organisation(s)
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
An-Najah National University
Palestine Polytechnic University (PPU)
Al-Quds University
Istinye University Istanbul
- Type
- Article
- Journal
- Journal of Nutritional Science
- Volume
- 12
- ISSN
- 2048-6790
- Publication date
- 17.03.2023
- Publication status
- Published
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Food Science, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Nutrition and Dietetics
- Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
- Electronic version(s)
-
https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2023.25 (Access:
Open)