title: Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among community dwelling elderly in Dakahlia as a representative of rural areas in Egypt.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D has a basic role in bone growth and metabolism and has been noticed for its important role in many diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To detect the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among the elderly in Dakahlia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted on 176 elderly patients (60 years and older) recruited from Meet Abbad-Nabaroh-Dakahlia, Egypt. The level of 25 hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD) was measured. A normal level of vitamin D is defined as a 25OHD concentration ≥30 ng/mL. Vitamin D insufficiency is defined as a 25OHD concentration of 20-29 ng/mL. Vitamin D deficiency is defined as a 25OHD level <20 ng/mL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no cases of vitamin D deficiency among the studied population. The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency (25OHD level of 20-29 ng/mL) among the elderly in Dakahlia was 26 %. Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency was (37.9 %) in males and (15.3 %) in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a low prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in an elderly rural population and a higher prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among males than females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Ain Shams University Hospitals, Ain Shams University, Abbassia Square, Cairo, Egypt, walaawessam@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Walaa W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Aly
authors.forename: Mona A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.forename: Somaia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moahamed Ebeid
authors.forename: Ahmed K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Mortagy
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012424:Rural Population; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D