Gender differences in the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in a southern Latin American country: a pilot study

• Published in: Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society Vol. 23; no. 4; pp. 410 - 416
• Main Authors: Vallejo, M. S., Blümel, J. E., Arteaga, E., Aedo, S., Tapia, V., Araos, A., Sciaraffia, C., Castelo-Branco, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 03.07.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: 25-hydroxyvitamin D; calcidiol; Gender differences; men; seasonal variation; Vitamin D; Vitamin deficiency; Winter; women; Santiago Chile; seasonal variation; 25-hydroxyvitamin D; Vitamin D; calcidiol; men; women
• DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2020.1752171
• ISSN: 1369-7137

Aim: This study aimed to study the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, assessing the influence of sex, age, and season of the year. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1329 healthy subjects (668 women and 661 men) aged 18-89 years in Santiago, Chile. Age (years), body mass index, medical history, working status, sex, and date of blood sample were collected. Results: Men were slightly older than women (53.1 ± 18.2 vs. 50.0 ± 15.6 years; p < 0.01) and a higher percentage worked outside the home (73.1% vs. 51.9%, p < 0.001). The mean serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)-D) was 23.3 ± 9.3 ng/ml in women and 20.9 ± 9.5 ng/ml in men (p < 0.001). The levels of 25(OH)-D by season were 26.7 ± 9.0, 23.6 ± 9.7, 19.4 ± 8.5, and 19.1 ± 9.5 ng/ml (for summer, fall, winter, and spring, respectively; p < 0.05). The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency increases with age, rising from 36.5% under 40 years to 48.0% over 60 years (p < 0.004). Male sex, winter and spring, and age showed negative correlation with levels of 25(OH)-D (p < 0.05). Multivariate linear regression showed a final model that incorporates: age (coefficient: −0.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.09 to −0.03; p < 0.001), male sex (coefficient: −2.00; 95% CI: −2.96 to −1.05; p < 0.001), summer (coefficient: 7.30; 95% CI: 6.17 to 8.43; p < 0.001), and fall (coefficient: 4.27; 95% CI: 3.04 to 5.50; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent in men than in women, in the elderly, and during the winter and spring seasons.