The Vitamin D Status in 6-14 Year Old Children Attending Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in South India

Abstract

Introduction: Vitamin D insufficiency among healthy children and adolescents is reported to be highly prevalent in the different parts of world. Objective: To assess the Vitamin D status in children in the age group of 6-14 years attending a tertiary care teaching institute of South India and to analyze the factors which can contribute to Vitamin D deficiency in these children. Methods: Cross-sectional study. 6 – 14 year old children attending the outpatient department were included in the study. Children with co – morbid conditions that affect Vitamin D metabolism and those children on chronic drug treatment and on Vitamin D supplementation were excluded from the study. Results: Average age of study population was 8.93± 2.02. In the study 48 (52.2%) children among a total of 92 had a normal Vitamin D status while the rest 44 children (47.9%) had insufficient Vitamin D status (25 hydroxy vitamin D < 30 ng/ml). Among these children 21 (22.8%) had sub-optimal vitamin D levels, 19 (20.7%) were deficient, 3 (3.3%) had severe and 1 (1.1%) had very severe deficiency of Vitamin D. The average Vitamin D level among the study population was 31±14.13 ng/ml. There was significant statistical association between Vitamin D deficiency and stunting (p=0.003). No statistically significant association was found between outdoor activity, clothing and skin colour with Vitamin D deficiency in this study. Conclusions: Vitamin D insufficiency was documented in 47.9% of 6 – 14 year old children and there is a significant association between stunting and Vitamin D deficiency.