title: Vitamin D status in different subgroups of British Asians.
abstract: To assess the effect of religious dietary practices and social customs on the vitamin D status of Asian immigrants, we kept records of the dietary intake and time spent out of doors of 81 Ugandan Asian men, women, and girls (9-19 years old). Sera were analysed for 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OHD3), and 28% of the subjects were found to have levels below the lower limit of normal. The (vegetarian) Hindus had the lowest dietary intakes, least time out of doors, and lowest serum 25-OHD3. The Goan (Roman Catholic) Asians, despite more pigmentation, had 25-OHD3 levels similar to those found among indigenous British people and had the most satisfactory vitamin D intakes. Among Asians, whose exposure to sunlight may be limited, dietary vitamin D becomes the major determinant of serum 25-OHD3.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D004032:Diet; D004739:England; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012067:Religion; D013472:Sunlight; D014454:Uganda / Q000208:ethnology; D014807:Vitamin D
chemical_list: D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D014807:Vitamin D