Vitamin D deficiency and hyperparathyroidism in relation to ethnicity: a cross-sectional survey in healthy adults.
BACKGROUND
The study of vitamin D status at population level gained relevance since vitamin D deficiency was recently suggested to trigger chronic disease.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to describe vitamin D status, its association with bone and mineral metabolism and risk factors for deficiency in adults over 40 years in Belgium.


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional survey in a stratified random sample of 401 subjects aged between 40 and 60 years living in Brussels, and drawn from 4 different ethnic backgrounds: autochthonous Belgian, Moroccan, Turkish and Congolese. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), parathyroid hormone (PTH), osteocalcin, C-telopeptide and bone mineral density was measured.


RESULTS
Three-hundred and six subjects (77%) showed 25OHD concentrations below 50 nmol/l,135 (34%) below 25 nmol/l and 18 (5%) below 12.5 nmol/l. The proportion of subjects with vitamin D deficiency was four times greater amongst those of Moroccan or Turkish descent compared with those of Congolese or Belgian descent. Moroccan subjects showed a significant higher PTH and bone marker concentrations compared to Belgian. Ethnicity, season and sex were independently associated with vitamin D deficiency in multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is very high amongst the adult population of Brussels but immigrants are at greater risk. Given the established link between population health and adequate vitamin D status, a policy of vitamin D supplementation should be considered in these risk groups.
Moreno-Reyes
Rodrigo
R
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, 1070, Brussels, Belgium. rmorenor@ulb.ac.be
Carpentier
Yvon A
YA
Boelaert
Marleen
M
El Moumni
Khadija
K
Dufourny
Ghislaine
G
Bazelmans
Christine
C
Levêque
Alain
A
Gervy
Christine
C
Goldman
Serge
S
D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D015519:Bone Density; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000097:blood; D003223:Congo / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000208:ethnology; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*
D024042:Collagen Type I; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010455:Peptides; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; D015675:Osteocalcin; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D