Vitamin D intake and other risk factors for vitamin D insufficiency in Middle Eastern people living in the UK: a comparison of cultural and ethnic groups

Ecol Food Nutr. 2013;52(3):191-202. doi: 10.1080/03670244.2012.706105.

Abstract

A questionnaire was designed to obtain information about factors affecting vitamin D status in Middle Eastern people living in the UK. A total of 242 questionnaires were returned out of 350 distributed. A total of 85% of the sample was estimated to have a low vitamin D intake (< 5 μg/d). Other risk factors for vitamin D insufficiency included covering skin from sunlight (62% men and 84% women); low use of vitamin D containing supplements (18.5%) and being overweight or obese (49% men and 44% women). Vitamin D intake was lowest in the Kurdish ethnic group (2.18 μg/d) and in those with primary (1.83 μg/d) and secondary school (2.14 μg/d) level education compared to higher education (3.0-3.59 μg/d). Vitamin D intake was highest in those aged 40-49 years (4.0 μg/d), those born in the Levant (4.29 μg/d), and in those who were obese (3.60 μg/d).

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Clothing
  • Culture*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Educational Status
  • Ethnicity*
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Middle East / ethnology
  • Obesity / complications
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Factors
  • Skin
  • Sunlight
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United Kingdom / epidemiology
  • Vitamin D / administration & dosage*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / ethnology
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / etiology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Vitamin D