Bone mineral parameters in healthy young Indian adults with optimal vitamin D availability.
BACKGROUND
Several recent studies indicate a marked prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in asymptomatic, apparently healthy urban subjects from different socioeconomic groups in north India.


METHODS
To further examine this trend, we studied 40 men and 50 women, 20-30 years of age, from the Indian paramilitary forces. These individuals consume a nutritious, high-protein diet, have optimal exposure to sunlight and undertake strenuous outdoor physical exercise.


RESULTS
The mean serum calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase levels were normal in both men and women. The mean (SD) serum intact parathyroid hormone and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels were 19.3 (8.2) pg/ml and 18.4 (5.3) ng/ml in men, and 11.9 (6.6) pg/ml and 25.3 (7.4) ng/ml in women. Bone mineral density estimated in 20 men and 22 women revealed that in comparison with white Caucasians, 35%-50% of men and 14%-32% of women were osteopenic at different sites, while an additional 10% of men had osteoporosis of the lumbar spine.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that with optimal nutrition, good sunlight exposure and regular physical exercise, healthy young individuals have normal bone and mineral biochemical values. The reasons for the abnormalities detected in bone mineral density in them needs further study. The impact of childhood nutrition on accumulation of peak bone mass may contribute to our findings. There is a need for establishing normative bone mineral density data for Indians.
Tandon
N
N
Department of Endocrinology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India.
Marwaha
R K
RK
Kalra
S
S
Gupta
Nandita
N
Dudha
A
A
Kochupillai
N
N
D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000097:blood; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006615:Hip / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D013472:Sunlight
D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D002112:Calcifediol; D002118:Calcium