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Vitamin D deficiency in rural girls and pregnant women despite abundant sunshine in northern India
Author(s) -
Sahu Monashis,
Bhatia Vijayalakshmi,
Aggarwal Anjoo,
Rawat Vinita,
Saxena Priya,
Pandey Amita,
Das Vinita
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2008.03360.x
Subject(s) - vitamin d deficiency , medicine , vitamin d and neurology , context (archaeology) , population , pregnancy , cross sectional study , socioeconomic status , demography , endocrinology , environmental health , biology , paleontology , genetics , pathology , sociology
Summary Context Vitamin D deficiency is common in urban Indians despite living in the tropics and its public health consequences are enormous. However, 70% of India is rural, and data from rural subjects, who are expected to have good sun exposure, are scant. Objectives To determine the population prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in rural pregnant women and adolescent girls, compare serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) status in adolescent boys from the same families, and determine seasonal differences in serum 25OHD. Design A cross‐sectional study conducted over 18 months. Subjects A random selection of 121 adolescent girls from a survey of a population of 8270 in a rural low socioeconomic community; 139 pregnant women in the second trimester; and a subset of 28 adolescent girls compared with 34 brothers. Measurements Serum 25OHD, serum alkaline phosphatase (AP), sun exposure, and dietary calcium intake. Results The age‐adjusted community prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25OHD < 50 nmol/l) in adolescent girls was 88·6%. Seventy‐four per cent of pregnant women had vitamin D deficiency. Mean ± SD 25OHD in girls and women in summer was 55·5 ± 19·8 nmol/l compared to 27·3 ± 12·3 nmol/l in winter ( P < 0·001). Winter serum 25OHD in boys (67·5 ± 29·0 nmol/l) was higher than that in their sisters (31·3 ± 13·5 nmol/l, P < 0·001). Conclusion We report a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women and adolescent girls from a rural Indian community. Boys are relatively protected. Seasonal variation in serum 25OHD is significant at latitude 26° N.