title: High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the sunny Eastern region of Saudi Arabia: a hospital-based study.
abstract: This study evaluated the vitamin D status of a cohort of healthy young Saudi Arabians in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia. A sample of 139 blood donors (87 males and 52 females) answered a questionnaire about their clinical history, including intake of vitamin D supplements and calcium-rich foods and exposure to sunshine. Blood samples were taken for routine biochemistry, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)3] and plasma parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. Serum 25(OH)D levels did not differ significantly between males and females, although the levels were low [10.1 (SD 4.6) ng/mL and 9.9 (SD 4.5) ng/mL respectively]. When subjects with elevated PTH levels were excluded, serum 25(OH)3 levels were still in the deficiency range. There was a high prevalence of a vitamin D deficiency in this sample of Saudi Arabians despite > 65% of participants having adequate exposure to sunlight and > 90% reporting adequate intake of dairy products.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Fahd Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. myelsammak@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Elsammak
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Wossaibi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Howeish
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alsaeed
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013472:Sunlight; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone