title: Hypovitaminosis D and its association with lifestyle factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was designed to determine the serum vitamin D levels and their relation with demographic features and life style factors in young adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was an analytical cross-sectional study on 88 subjects aged 18-40 years. Relevant information about physical activity, job place, duration of sun exposure, educational status and socioeconomic conditions was obtained. Serum levels of 25-OH vitamin D were measured by ELISA. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean serum vitamin D level was 8.44±0.49 (Range: 1.00-21.08) ng/ml in participants. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 98.86% of the population. Mean vitamin D levels were significantly lower in females (p=0.0001), physically less active (p=0.006), indoor job holders (p=0.0001), less sun exposed (p=0.001), highly educated (p=0.020) and high socioeconomic status (p=0.007) bearing and in subjects having relatively fair skin complexion (p=0.041).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum vitamin D levels of study population were below normal and were associated with female gender, less physical activity, indoor jobs, less sun exposure, higher education and higher socioeconomic class and relatively fair skin complexion.
authors.affiliation: Mudassar Ali Roomi, MBBS, M.Phil. Assistant Professor Physiology at Fiji National University, Fiji.
authors.forename: Mudassar Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Roomi
authors.affiliation: Ansa Farooq, M.Sc., M.S. Lecturer Biochemistry at Fiji National University, Fiji.
authors.forename: Ansa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farooq
authors.affiliation: Ehsan Ullah, MBBS, M.Phil. Ph.D. Candidate, Faculty of Health, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ullah
authors.affiliation: Khalid Parvez Lone, Professor and Head Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, UHS, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Khalid Parvez
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Lone
keywords: Female gender; Indoor jobs; Physical activity; Socioeconomicstatus; Sun exposure; Vitamin D