title: Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in Brazilian adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cutaneous sun exposure and dietary vitamin D intake are important determinants of vitamin D status. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the vitamin D status of a group of healthy adolescent students living in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty-six adolescents, 64 boys and 72 girls, aged 16-20 years old, living in a rural town in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, participated in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean dietary vitamin D intake was 140 (120-156) IU/day [3.5 (3.0-3.9) microg/day]. Only 14.9% of the students met the daily adequate intake recommendation of vitamin D. Only 27.9% practice physical activity outdoors and 17.6% of the adolescents apply sunscreen daily. The mean 25(OH)D concentration was 73.0 (22.0) nmol/l [29.2 (8.8) ng/ml]. Vitamin D insufficiency was observed in 60% of adolescents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggests that even in a sunny climate like Brazil the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in adolescents is high. Most likely this is due to low intakes of vitamin D in this group. Due to the limited extent of natural dietary sources of vitamin D, a policy of vitamin D food fortification should be considered in the future, and in the meantime greater use of vitamin D supplements in this population group should be encouraged to provide the increased amounts of this essential nutrient for optimal health.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Department, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Barbara Santarosa Emo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Luana Caroline
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fisberg
authors.forename: Richard James
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Lígia Araújo
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Martini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D014807:Vitamin D