title: Observations on the natural history of vitamin D deficiency amongst Asian immigrants.
abstract: The Asian community of Rochdale was examined for evidence of vitamin D deficiency in 1970 and again in 1980. There has been a striking improvement in the biochemical markers of vitamin D deficiency among Asian children, but little improvement was observed in the adults. Asian children born in the United Kingdom had higher serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D concentrations than migrant children. Prolonged residence in the United Kingdom and a long period of exposure to western customs was not associated with a better vitamin D status in the adults. The vitamin D status of this community was still markedly inferior to that of a white control group despite attempts to influence their dietary practices and habitual solar exposure. Vitamin D deficiency presents a continuing problem among first generation adult migrants, but a decreasing problem among children.
mesh_terms: D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001827:Body Height; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D004739:England; D004872:Ergocalciferols / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D013472:Sunlight; D013997:Time Factors; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D004872:Ergocalciferols; D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2; D010758:Phosphorus; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium