title: Prevalence of Vitamin D Insufficiency and Deficiency among Young Physicians at University District Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
abstract: Vitamin D has been attracting increased attention because of higher prevalences of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency than expected in areas with sufficient sun exposure. Even though sunlight exposure and diet are the main determinants of vitamin D status, other factors, such as age, race, the use (or not) of sunscreen, medications, and malabsorptive conditions, also affect vitamin D levels. Recent studies have found high prevalences of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in different populations. However, there are limited data regarding the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in Puerto Rico. To shed more light on the subject, we evaluated a sample of 51 internal medicine residents and research fellows, aged from 25 to 39 years at the University District Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico, doing so by means of a questionnaire that explored basic socio demographic and lifestyle characteristics and collected anthropometric data; in addition, we obtained blood samples in order to determine 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. The median 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was 21 ng/mL (range, 7-38 ng/mL). Forty-five participants (88.2%) had 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations of lower than 30 ng/mL. We found vitamin D deficiencies in 43.1% of the population and insufficiencies in 45.1%. Contributory factors to our findings include limited exposure to sunlight during periods of high sun intensity, increased body mass index, and a limited area of the body being exposed to sunlight. A relationship between reduced physical activity levels and hypovitaminosis D was also found. Both calcium intake and vitamin D intake, which were markedly below recommended daily allowances, were positively correlated with 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels, but with a weak association.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Division, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University Hospital, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Vick
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Division, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University Hospital, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hernández-Dávila
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Division, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University Hospital, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Nixzaliz
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Rivera
authors.affiliation: Puerto Rico Clinical and Translational Research Consortium, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Mariel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Valentín
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Division, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University Hospital, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Lillian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Haddock
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University Hospital, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Renil
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University Hospital, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Bossolo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006767:Hospitals, District; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010820:Physicians; D015995:Prevalence; D011647:Puerto Rico; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D/calcium; Dietary/sunlight exposure/physical activity; Dietary/vitamin D