Low vitamin D associated with poor regions in the UK, median was 10 ng – Nov 2012

Relationship of total 25-OH vitamin D concentrations to Indices of Multiple Deprivation: geoanalysis of laboratory results

Ann Clin Biochem 12 November 2012
Craig Webster, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham B9 5SS, UK, craig.webster at heartofengland.nhs.uk

Background Vitamin D deficiency appears to be widespread and associated with ethnicity and economic status. Geography is the key to virtually all national statistics. It provides a structure for collecting, processing, storing and aggregating data. Linking geographic data to laboratory data allows analysis of the association of laboratory data with economic indicators.

Methods The laboratory information system was searched to create a data-set of total 25-OH vitamin D concentrations, which was then linked to economic (Indices of Multiple Deprivation [IMD]) and ethnicity data using postcodes geocoded to Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs).

Results A total of 12,422 25-OH vitamin D requests were received during the time period searched. A total of 12,167 of these had associated postcodes that would allow georeferencing to LSOAs. The median total 25-OH vitamin D was 24.5 nmol/L (5.3–99.0; 2.5–97.5th percentile). Statistically significant (Spearman rank) correlations were found between median 25-OH vitamin D (nmol/L) and percentage of non-White population and percentage of non-White population and IMD. No statistically significant correlation between median 25-OH vitamin D concentration and IMD was found; however, a statistically significant correlation between percentage of population classified as severely deficient and IMD was found.

Conclusions In summary, vitamin D deficiency is widespread and is related to ethnicity; it does not appear to be related to economic status except in cases of severe vitamin D deficiency.

Accepted April 29, 2012. © 2012 The Association for Clinical Biochemistry

Vitamin D map from author's website

apparently the numbers are the % of population who were vitamin D deficient (below 10 ng, 25 nmol/L)

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Suspect that dark skinned immigrants live in poor regions

Map of UK deprivation - online is larger than image below

See also VitaminDWiki

• All items in Europe 232 items
• Chief UK Medical Officer recommends only 280 IU for children - Jan 2011
• UK pediatricians have a lot to learn about vitamin D – May 2012
• All items in Skin Color and vitamin D 464 items
• Vitamin D insufficiency in UK youths – 37X more likely if dark skin – July 2011
• 80 % of South Asian Women in UK had less than 10 ng of vitamin D in winter – April 2012
• Immigrant vitamin D deficiency in Europe – May 2011