Loading...
 
Toggle Health Problems and D

Global Vitamin D levels - Aug 2011

Worldwide vitamin D status

Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 25 (2011) 671-680
Natasja M. van Schoor, Ph.D, Senior Epidemiologist a*, Paul Lips, Ph.D, M.D, Professor of Endocrinology b
a EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
b VU University Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrine Section, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The aim of the present study is to summarize existing literature on worldwide vitamin D status vitamin D levels in adults in different continents and different
25-hydroxyvitamin D countries worldwide.
The best determinant of vitamin D status is the vitamin D deficiency serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D).
Most adults investigators agree that serum 25(OH)D should be higher than 50 nmol/l, but some recommend higher serum levels.
Traditional risk groups for vitamin D deficiency include pregnant women, children, older persons, the institutionalized, and non-western immigrants.
This chapter shows that serum 25(OH)D levels are not only suboptimal in specific risk groups, but also in adults in many countries.
Especially, in the Middle-East and Asia, vitamin D deficiency in adults is highly prevalent.

Fig. 1. Mean serum 25(OH)D levels in Europe. The data come from different studies.14 28

A rectangle around the number indicates that it is a population-based study.

Image

Fig. 2. Mean serum 25(OH)D levels from different studies in the Middle-East.30 36

Image

Fig. 3. Mean serum 25(OH)D levels from different studies in Africa.37 43 *) veiled; **) non-veiled.

Image

Fig. 5. Mean serum 25(OH)D levels in Oceania.53 59

Image

Fig. 6. Mean serum 25(OH)D levels in North-America.60-68

Image

Fig. 7. Mean serum 25(OH)D levels in South-America.69-72

Image

Conclusion

Vitamin D deficiency has a high prevalence over the world, not only in risk groups.
Especially, in the Middle-East and Asia, vitamin D deficiency in adults is highly prevalent.
Traditional risk groups include young children, pregnant women, older persons, the institutionalized, and non-western immigrants.
Recent studies show that adolescents and young adults are at risk for vitamin D deficiency.
Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency include low sun exposure, skin pigmentation, sunscreen use, skin covering clothes and a diet low in fish and dairy products.

If registered (free), CLICK HERE for PDF

- - - - - - - - - - - -

See also VitaminDwiki

Image

Attached files

ID Name Comment Uploaded Size Downloads
1224 South America.jpg admin 08 Apr, 2012 11.52 Kb 2412
1223 North America.jpg admin 08 Apr, 2012 12.12 Kb 2100
1014 Map Ocenia.jpg admin 16 Jan, 2012 15.63 Kb 4153
720 Map Africa.png admin 01 Sep, 2011 73.92 Kb 2470
719 Map Middle East.png admin 01 Sep, 2011 57.58 Kb 2287
718 Map Europe.png admin 01 Sep, 2011 103.15 Kb 9373