Vitamin D deficiency in adolescent females.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to estimate the incidence of low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels in adolescent girls and across racial groups and seasons.


METHODS
Healthy postmenarcheal girls (12-18 years of age) were recruited for the study. Serum samples were assayed for 25(OH)D with a competitive protein binding assay (CPB) (Nichols Institute, San Clemente, California).


RESULTS
The study included 370 girls (mean age, 15.5 +/- 1.6 y), with a mean serum 25(OH)D level of 53.7(29.0) nmol/L. Seventeen percent of the girls were found to be vitamin D deficient (serum 25(OH)D <or= 27.5 nmol/L) and 54% were vitamin D insufficient (serum 25(OH)D <or= 50 nmol/L) using the CPB assay. There was a significant difference in mean serum 25(OH)D levels between the African-American girls (43.0 nmol/L) and non-African-American girls (72.2 nmol/L) (p < .0001). Mean vitamin D levels were higher in the spring/summer months (60.2 nmol/L) compared with those obtained during the fall/winter months (52.8 nmol/L) (p < .01), and weight was correlated negatively with vitamin D levels (r = -.19) (p = .0002).


CONCLUSIONS
For adolescent girls living in the northeastern United States, especially African-American girls, low 25(OH)D levels are a noteworthy concern because bone acquisition is crucial during this period of development.
Harkness
Laura S
LS
Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Lharkness@metrohealth.org
Cromer
Barbara A
BA
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D012621:Seasons; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044465:White People
D014807:Vitamin D; D010758:Phosphorus; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D002118:Calcium