April - June 2015, Volume 11, Issue 2

Hasanato R, Al-Mahboob A, Al-Mutairi A, Al-Faraydi J, Al-Amari K, AL-Jurayyad R, Mohamed s

High Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Healthy Female Medical Students in Central Saudi Arabia: Impact of Nutritional and Environmental Factors

Acta Endo (Buc) 2015, 11 (2): 257-261
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2015.257

Context. Vitamin D, a fat-soluble prohormone, is synthesized in response to sunlight and plays several roles in the body. Objectives. To determine Vitamin D status among healthy, young female medical students studying at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to study the effects of nutritional and environmental factors on Vitamin D level. Study design. It is a prospective, observational, cross-sectional study conducted between December 2012 and March 2013. Subjects and methods. One hundred and seventy eight healthy medical students participated in the study. Each subject completed a questionnaire about vitamin D deficiency and attitude towards related environmental and nutritional factors, including duration of sunlight exposure, and vitamin D supplements. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase were obtained.Results. The mean serum vitamin D level of the study group was 41.41±29.31 mmol/L (normal 75–250 mmol/L). Out of 178 participants, 126 (70.8%) were vitamin D deficient (<50 mmol/L), 29 (16.3%) had insufficient vitamin D (50–75 mmol/L), and 23 (12.9%) had normal vitamin D level (>75 mmol/L), with mean serum levels of 25.52±10.89, 62.84±7.04 and 101.41±9.1 mmol/L, respectively. In comparison between vitamin D deficient and nondeficient groups, daily milk consumption (P < 0.001), use of vitamin D supplements (P < 0.0001), and frequency of sun exposure for ≥ 5 days/week (P < 0.006) were significantly higher in the nondeficient group. Conclusion. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among female medical students in Riyadh is high and may be attributed to nutritional, social and environmental factors.

Keywords: 25 hydroxyvitamin D, vitamin D deficiency, medical students, female.

Correspondence: Sarar Mohamed MD, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2925, Riyadh, 11461, Saudi Arabia, E-mail: sararmohamed@hotmail.com