70 percent of Koreans in their twenties had less than 20ng of vitamin D – Dec 2010

Vitamin D Insufficiency in Korea--A Greater Threat to Younger Generation:
The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Dec 29.
Choi HS, Oh HJ, Choi H, Choi WH, Kim JG, Kim KM, Kim KJ, Rhee Y, Lim SK. lsk@yuhs.ac
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine (H.S.C.), Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang-shi, Gyeonggi-do 410-773, Korea; Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine (H.J.O.), Kwandong University, Gangneung 210-701, Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine (H.C.), Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul 139-707, Korea; Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine (W.H.C.), Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul 133-791, Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine (J.G.K.), Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea; and Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine (K.M.K., K.J.K., Y.R., S.-K.L.), Institute of Endocrine Research (H.S.C., K.M.K., K.J.K., Y.R., S.-K.L.), and Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Sciences (S.-K.L.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, Korea.

Context: Vitamin D status in the Korean population has not been adequately determined. Objective: To investigate the vitamin D status and the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in the Korean population, and also identify the predictors for vitamin D insufficiency in Korea.

Design and Setting: The Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES IV) in the Korean population conducted in 2008. Participants: 3,047 males and 3,878 females aged 10 years and older selected in all the 16 administrative districts of South Korea. Main Outcome Measures: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D levels and the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency defined as serum 25(OH)D level of less than 20 ng/ml.

Results: Vitamin D insufficiency was found in 47.3% of males and 64.5% of females, whereas only 13.2% of male and 6.7% of female population had a serum 25(OH)D level of greater than 30 ng/ml. Vitamin D insufficiency was most prevalent in the age of 20-29, with a rate of 65.0% in males and 79.9% in females, and least prevalent in the age of 60-69 in males and 50-59 in females. Those who work usually indoors were more predisposed to vitamin D insufficiency. In the adult population, predictors for vitamin D insufficiency included young age groups, spring and winter seasons, living in an urban area, and indoor occupations.

Conclusions: Vitamin D insufficiency is very common, and it is now a greater threat to the younger generation in Korea. Current recommendations for vitamin D intakes for Koreans are inadequate, especially for the youth. PMID: 2119094


See also VitaminDWiki

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