title: Hypovitaminosis D and mild hypocalcaemia are highly prevalent among young Vietnamese children and women and related to low dietary intake.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In many developing countries including Vietnam, data are lacking on vitamin D and calcium deficiencies whereas those deficiencies can play an important role in the development of bone health and possibly non-communicable diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine the overall prevalence of vitamin D and calcium deficiencies in women and young children and their nutritional related risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study conducted among 595 women of reproductive age and 532 children <5 years from 19 provinces of Vietnam. For each individual, data concerning daily diet, socioeconomic group, anthropometric status were obtained, and plasma concentrations of calcium and vitamin D were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D status was very high, with the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D<30 nmol/L) and insufficiency (25(OH)D between 30-49.9 nmol/L) being 17% and 40% in women and 21% and 37% in children, respectively. Using more liberal cut-off of 75 nmol/L, approximately 90% of the women and children were classified as having hypovitaminosis D. Overweight/obese women had a 2 times lower risk (OR = 0.46, [0.24-0.90]) for vitamin D deficiency than non-overweight and non-obese women. No participant had severe calcium deficiency but moderate and mild hypocalcaemia (plasma calcium concentrations between 1.15-0.9 mmol/L for mild deficiency and between 0.9-0.8 mmol/L for moderate deficiency) affected respectively 14% and 83% of the women with 97% of the children having mild hypocalcaemia. Women and children consumed about 1% of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for vitamin D and less than 43% of the RNI for calcium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that calcium and vitamin D deficiencies represent a major public health concern in Vietnam. Thus, actions to improve the vitamin D and calcium status of the Vietnamese population should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition-GAIN, Geneva, Switzerland. alaillou@gainhealth.org
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laillou
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wieringa
authors.forename: Thuy Nga
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Pham Thuy
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Van
authors.forename: Bach Mai
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fortin
authors.forename: Thi Hop
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: Regina Moench
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pfanner
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium