title: Vitamin D deficiency: A global perspective.
abstract: Vitamin D is essential for the maintenance of good health. Its sources can be skin production and diet intake. Most humans depend on sunlight exposure (UVB 290-315 nm) to satisfy their requirements for vitamin D. Solar ultraviolet B photons are absorbed by the skin, leading to transformation of 7-dehydrocholesterol into vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Season, latitude, time of day, skin pigmentation, aging, sunscreen use, all influence the cutaneous production of vitamin D3. Vitamin D deficiency not only causes rickets among children but also precipitates and exacerbates osteoporosis among adults and causes the painful bone disease osteomalacia. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk for other morbidities such as cardiovascular disease, type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus and cancer, especially of the colon and prostate. The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is considerable even in low latitudes and should be taken into account in the evaluation of postmenopausal and male osteoporosis. Although severe vitamin D deficiency leading to rickets or osteomalacia is rare in Brazil, there is accumulating evidence of the frequent occurrence of subclinical vitamin D deficiency, especially in elderly people.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Agamenon Magalhães Hospital, Dilab Laboratories, Department of Medicine, University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. fbone@hotlink.com.br
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bandeira
authors.forename: Luiz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Griz
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dreyer
authors.forename: Catia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eufrazino
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bandeira
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Freese
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010018:Osteomalacia / Q000209:etiology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000209:etiology; D012279:Rickets / Q000209:etiology; D012621:Seasons; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D