Vitamin D level in a sample of egyptian females in child bearing period attending a family medicine center

Abstract

Abstract Background Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as a pandemic. It plays an important role in the development of bone health and possibly non-communicable diseases. The normal range of Vitamin D in the Arab countries is much lower than the international standards. Some Arab countries had made their own national studies to assess serum vitamin D level among women, yet in Egypt there is no national survey done, therefore we tried to assess serum vitamin D level among women during the child bearing period in Egypt and to investigate the factors affecting it. Objective To measure vitamin D level among a sample of females during the child-bearing period attending a family medicine center. To identify the factors affecting vitamin D level among studied females. Patients and Methods In the present study, we included 100 healthy adult females in their childbearing period who were attending a Family Medicine Center. The age of the included women ranged from minimum 19 years to maximum 49 years old with a mean age of 34 ± 8.47 years. We found that the majority of participants have deficiency and insufficiency of vitamin D level; 43% of the included women had vitamin D deficiency and 13% of the women had vitamin D insufficiency. In the present study, we sought to identify the factors affecting vitamin D level among studied females. Results The analysis showed that there was a statistically significance association between the employment status of the included women and vitamin D3 level groups; unemployed women were more likely to have vitamin D deficiency than employed women. In the present study, a statistically significance association was observed between the duration of sun exposure and vitamin D3 level groups. Participants who exposed to sun > 30 min/day were more likely to have sufficient vitamin D level. The results of the present study demonstrated that all participants who consume fish ≥3 times/week have sufficient vitamin D level. Therefore, there was a statistically significance association between a number of consuming fish/week and vitamin D3 level groups. The results of the present study also showed that there was statistically significant association between number of consumed milk cups/day and vitamin D3 level groups. All participants who drink 2 cups of milk have sufficient vitamin D level. In addition, we found no statistically significance association between using multivitamins and vitamin D3 level groups. Half of the participants who were using multivitamins had vitamin D insufficiency. Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are prevalent among Egyptian women in childbearing period. In addition, the unemployment, low milk and fish consumption, and infrequent sun exposure are significant risk factors for vitamin D deficiency. Therefore, for improving the health and productivity of women in childbearing period, a routine monitoring system for vitamin D and the other factors should be put in place. Nevertheless, future research on the role of multivitamins supplements and fish consumption in improving vitamin D nutrition is warranted.