An adequate vitamin D status is of major importance for bone health. And is dependent on adequate vitamin D intake and sun exposure. Fish is the only natural important dietary sources of vitamin D. Milk, some milk products and cereals are supplemented to different degrees depending on the country, with a much higher degree of fortification in the USA. On the other hand, season, latitude and time of the day, clothing and sunscreen, pigmentation of the skin and ageing are the main factors contributing to the cutaneous production of vitamin.
Vitamin D inadequacy is a common worldwide, more particularly in Europe. In Middle-Eastern countries, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan .several recent studies have shown a surprisingly high incidence of vitamin D deficiency in young individuals and schoolchildren.
Despite an adequate vitamin D intake being considered an essential component of osteoporosis management the prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy in osteoporotic women is very high; vitamin D inadequacy affects 64 % of osteoporotic women worldwide
In the paper Gannage-Yared and colleagues analysed vitamin D-inadequacy risk factors among the 251 Lebanese postmenopausal osteoporotic women (from both Muslim and Christian communities). Vitamin D inadequacy prevalence (25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)
< 30nglm1) was 84·9%. 25(OH)D was negatively correlated with BMI and positively correlated with educational level and self-reported general health but not with age and no seasonal variation was observed. There was no significant correlation between 25(OH)D and sun exposure index or vitamin D-rich food consumption. However, 25(OH)D strongly correlated with vitamin D supplement intake. Muslim community participants had lower 25(OH)D levels compared with their Christian counterparts. They also had higher BMI, lower educational level and vitamin D supplement consumption and followed more frequently a dress code covering the arms. In a multivariate model, in Muslims, inadequate vitamin D supplements and a dress code covering the arms are the independent predictors of 25(OH)D inadequacy .However, in Christians, the predictors are inadequate vitamin D supplements, high BMI and low educational level
Gannage-Yared et al 2009 Prevalence and predictors of vitamin D inadequacy
amongst Lebanese osteoporotic women Brit J Nutrition vol 101 487-491
Vitamin D inadequacy is a common worldwide, more particularly in Europe. In Middle-Eastern countries, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan .several recent studies have shown a surprisingly high incidence of vitamin D deficiency in young individuals and schoolchildren.
Despite an adequate vitamin D intake being considered an essential component of osteoporosis management the prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy in osteoporotic women is very high; vitamin D inadequacy affects 64 % of osteoporotic women worldwide
In the paper Gannage-Yared and colleagues analysed vitamin D-inadequacy risk factors among the 251 Lebanese postmenopausal osteoporotic women (from both Muslim and Christian communities). Vitamin D inadequacy prevalence (25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) < 30nglm1) was 84·9%. 25(OH)D was negatively correlated with BMI and positively correlated with educational level and self-reported general health but not with age and no seasonal variation was observed. There was no significant correlation between 25(OH)D and sun exposure index or vitamin D-rich food consumption. However, 25(OH)D strongly correlated with vitamin D supplement intake. Muslim community participants had lower 25(OH)D levels compared with their Christian counterparts. They also had higher BMI, lower educational level and vitamin D supplement consumption and followed more frequently a dress code covering the arms. In a multivariate model, in Muslims, inadequate vitamin D supplements and a dress code covering the arms are the independent predictors of 25(OH)D inadequacy .However, in Christians, the predictors are inadequate vitamin D supplements, high BMI and low educational level
Gannage-Yared et al 2009 Prevalence and predictors of vitamin D inadequacy
amongst Lebanese osteoporotic women Brit J Nutrition vol 101 487-491