title: Does a high UV environment ensure adequate vitamin D status?
abstract: This study assesses the Vitamin D status of 126 healthy free-living adults aged 18-87 years, in southeast Queensland, Australia (27 degrees S) at the end of the 2006 winter. Participants provided blood samples for analysis of 25(OH)D (the measure of an individual's Vitamin D status), PTH, Calcium, Phosphate, and Albumin, completed a questionnaire on sun-protective/sun-exposure behaviours, and were assessed for phenotypic characteristics such as skin/hair/eye colour and BMI. We found that 10.2% of the participants had serum 25(OH)D levels below 25 nmol/l (considered deficient) and a further 32.3% had levels between 25 nmol/l and 50 nmol/l (considered insufficient). Our results show that low levels of 25(OH)D can occur in a substantial proportion of the population at the end of winter, even in a sunny climate. 25(OH)D levels were higher amongst those who spent more time in the sun and lower among obese participants (BMI>30) than those who were not obese (BMI<30). 25(OH)D levels were also lower in participants who had black hair, dark/olive skin, or brown eyes, when compared with participants who had brown or fair hair, fair skin, or blue/green eyes. No associations were found between 25(OH)D status and age, gender, smoking status, or the use of sunscreen.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. m.kimlin@qut.edu.au
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimlin
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Madeleine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brodie
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005127:Eye Color; D005260:Female; D006200:Hair Color; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D013472:Sunlight; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010710:Phosphates; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium