Dress-Style Effect on Vitamin D3 Metabolic Profile

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Background and Objectives:Conservative clothing like niqab and hijab dress-style may affect the vitamin D metabolic parameters even in the predominantly sunny areas of the world, with adequate sunlight exposure throughout the year. Our objective is to evaluate the effect of wearing the niqab or hijab style on different vitamin D3 metabolic parameters in a sample of premenopausal women from Basrah. Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study on premenopausal women who wore a niqab (n=64), with a comparable age-matched group of women who wore the hijab dress-style (n=60). Biochemical evaluation of the vitamin D3 metabolic profile involved 25-OH-vitamin D, corrected serum calcium, parathyroid hormone, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase estimation. Statistical comparison of these parameters was made using the independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney-U test. Results: The two groups of women were age- and weight-matched, with a median age was 39 years, and median body mass index (BMI) of 31.8 kg/m2. Overall, age, marital status, and BMI of women in both groups had no significant relationship to the vitamin D3 metabolic parameters (low 25-OH-vitamin D, low corrected calcium, and high parathyroid hormone). The subgroup analysis for women with the niqab showed the same results. Conclusions: Wearing niqab or hijab dress-style by the premenopausal women was not associated with any significant statistical relationship or difference in vitamin D3 metabolic parameters.