title: Vitamin D status and health correlates among apparently healthy participants in an urban, sunny region.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess vitamin D status and health correlates in a sample of apparently healthy Caucasian participants residing in an urban area, Athens, with latitude 370 58' 0" N and longitude 230 43' 0" E, after taking into consideration a broad range of purported biological, behavioural and environmental factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men and women 35+ years from a selected population (n = 490) were studied. Participants completed a detailed questionnaire regarding socio-demographic, lifestyle, clinical and dietary characteristics. Biomarkers were measured after 12 h fasting. Linear and multinomial regression models were used to evaluate the association between 25(OH)D and determinants of vitamin D status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results revealed that one hour increase of sunlight exposure decreased the odds of having D deficiency (i.e., < 20 ng/mL) by 70% (OR = 0.30, 95% Cl: 0.20-0.45), adjusted for age, sex, family status, physical activity, smoking habits, BMI, triglycerides, parathyroid hormone, uric acid, haptoglobin, folate acid and haemoglobin, as compared to sufficient levels (i.e., >30 ng/mL). Regarding biomarkers, parathyroid hormone and haptoglobin were found to be related with the odds of having vitamin D deficiency (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.05-1.16; OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.03, respectively) as compared to the sufficient levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sufficient serum vitamin D levels were observed among participants with characteristics associated with reduced cardiovascular risk, such as normal BMI, increased physical activity, decreased parathyroid hormone and decreased inflammatory markers. Even a slight increase in sunlight exposure could have beneficial effects on serum vitamin D concentrations and eventually on haemoglobin and inflammatory markers levels, thus providing a simple and inexpensive lifestyle intervention that promotes public health.
authors: General Hospital of Athens Polykliniki, Athens, Greece. natalia.vallianou@hotmail.com
authors: Natalia
authors: N
authors: Vallianou
authors: Vassiliki
authors: V
authors: Bountziouka
authors: Thanasis
authors: T
authors: Akalestos
authors: Angelos
authors: A
authors: Evangelopoulos
authors: Evangelos
authors: E
authors: Vogiatzakis
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Bonou
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Barbetseas
authors: Peter C
authors: PC
authors: Avgerinos
authors: Demosthenes B
authors: DB
authors: Panagiotakos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002980:Climate; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013472:Sunlight; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006242:Haptoglobins; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone