Vitamin D deficiency and leisure time activities in the elderly: are all pastimes the same?
BACKGROUND
Optimal vitamin D status is important for overall health and well-being, particularly in the elderly. Although vitamin D synthesis in the skin declines with age, exposure to sunlight still seems to help older-aged adults to achieve adequate serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels. Elderly people would therefore benefit from outdoor leisure activities, but the effects of different types of pastime on serum 25OHD levels have yet to be thoroughly investigated.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the association of different pastimes with 25OHD deficiency in elderly subjects.


METHODS
A sample of 2,349 community-dwelling elderly individuals (1,389 females and 960 males) enrolled in the Progetto Veneto Anziani was analyzed. Brisk walking, cycling, gardening and fishing were classed as outdoor activities, and dancing and gym workouts as indoor pastimes. Any activities undertaken for at least 1 hour/week during the previous month were considered as being practiced regularly. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between different pastimes and 25OHD deficiency.


RESULTS
Serum 25OHD levels were significantly higher in individuals who engaged in outdoor pastimes (+25% in women, +27.7% in men) compared to those who did not. In particular, subjects regularly practicing gardening or cycling had higher serum 25OHD levels than those who did not, whereas 25OHD levels differed little between subjects who did or did not undertake indoor activities. Among the outdoor pastimes considered, logistic regression analysis confirmed a lower likelihood of vitamin D deficiency (25OHD<50 nmol/L) for cyclists (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.37-0.69 in women; OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.29-0.87 in men) and gardeners (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.47-0.83 in women; OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.26-0.80), but not for brisk walkers.


CONCLUSIONS
Regular cycling and gardening reduce the likelihood of inadequate vitamin D status in Caucasian elderly people, irrespective of their age, BMI and comorbidities, and of the season of the year.
Department of Medicine, Geriatric Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Marina
M
De Rui
Department of Medicine, Geriatric Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Elena Debora
ED
Toffanello
Department of Medicine, Geriatric Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Nicola
N
Veronese
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Sabina
S
Zambon
Department of Medicine, Geriatric Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Francesco
F
Bolzetta
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Leonardo
L
Sartori
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Estella
E
Musacchio
Azienda Unità Locale Socio Sanitaria n. 16, Padova, Italy.
Maria Chiara
MC
Corti
Department of Medicine, Internal Medicine Division, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padova, Italy.
Giovannella
G
Baggio
National Research Council, Aging Branch, Institute of Neuroscience, Padova, Italy.
Gaetano
G
Crepaldi
Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health Unit, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Egle
E
Perissinotto
Department of Medicine, Geriatric Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; National Research Council, Aging Branch, Institute of Neuroscience, Padova, Italy.
Enzo
E
Manzato
Department of Medicine, Geriatric Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Sergi
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D051639:Gardening; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016138:Walking
D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D