Vitamin D status in Jordan: dress style and gender discrepancies.
OBJECTIVE
Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent worldwide and has been linked to many diseases. The aims of the present study were to assess the vitamin D status of Jordanians at the national level and to identify groups of the population at high risk for vitamin D deficiency.


METHODS
Vitamin D status was assessed in a national sample of 5,640 subjects aged ≥7 years. The study involved interviews, laboratory measurements of 25(OH)D and others, and physical measurements. The present report deals, exclusively, with subjects aged >18 years.


RESULTS
The prevalence of low vitamin D status [25(OH)D <30 ng/ml] was 37.3% in females compared to 5.1% in males. Dress style in females was independently related to low vitamin D status; women wearing 'Hijab' (adjusted OR = 1.7, p = 0.004) or 'Niqab' (adjusted OR = 1.5, p = 0.061) were at a higher risk for low vitamin D status than were western-dressed women.


CONCLUSIONS
The high prevalence of low vitamin D status in females in contrast with a low prevalence in males, together with a higher prevalence in women wearing Hijab or Neqab, calls for action to increase the population's awareness and to develop strategies to reduce this risk among women, particularly those wearing dress styles that cover most or all of their skin.
Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
A
A
Batieha
Y
Y
Khader
H
H
Jaddou
D
D
Hyassat
Z
Z
Batieha
M
M
Khateeb
A
A
Belbisi
K
K
Ajlouni
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003020:Clothing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D013472:Sunlight; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014807:Vitamin D