Vitamin D deficiency in northern Taiwan: a community-based cohort study

• Published in: BMC public health Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 337 - 8
• Main Authors: Lee, Ming-Jse, Hsu, Heng-Jung, Wu, I-Wen, Sun, Chiao-Yin, Ting, Ming-Kuo, Lee, Chin-Chan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 22.03.2019; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D; Age; Analysis; Biochemistry; Blood; Chronic kidney failure; Coffee; Cohort analysis; Education; Exercise; Family medical history; Food; Health care; Hemoglobin; Kidney diseases; Laboratories; Mass spectrometry; Men; Natural & organic foods; Outdoor air quality; Physical fitness; Population; Population studies; Prevalence; Prevalence studies (Epidemiology); Public health; Regression models; Renal function; Risk factor; Risk factors; Scientific imaging; Sex; Skin; Social aspects; Sociodemographics; Taiwan; Tea; Tea (Beverage); Urban areas; Urine; Vitamin D; Vitamin D deficiency; Vitamin deficiency; Vitamins; Taiwan; United States > US; Vitamin D deficiency; Prevalence; Risk factor; Taiwan
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-6657-9

Vitamin D deficiency has become an important public health problem, however few studies have been conducted in subtropical countries, and the predictors of vitamin D deficiency in people with healthy renal function are unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with vitamin D deficiency in northern Taiwan. The cross-sectional study was performed between August 2013 and August 2017, and included 3954 participants without chronic kidney disease (CKD) aged ≥30 years in northern Taiwan. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)-D] levels, biochemistry, sociodemographic variables (age, sex, education, occupation) and lifestyle habits (tea, coffee consumption and physical activities) were recorded. Associations between vitamin D status and these variables were examined using a regression model. The definition of deficiency was defined as a serum 25(OH)-D level < 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L). The mean 25(OH)-D concentration was 28.9 ng/mL, and 22.4% of the study population had vitamin D deficiency. There was a significantly higher vitamin D deficiency ratio in the women compared to the men (22.9% vs 9.9%, p < 0.001). Vitamin D deficiency was most prevalent (38.4%) in those aged 30-39 years. Those with a graduate degree had the highest rate of vitamin D deficiency (31.5%). The predictors of vitamin D deficiency included female sex, young age, high education level, living in an urban area and physical inactivity. Tea consumption was negatively associated with vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in subtropical areas such as northern Taiwan in healthy individuals without CKD.