title: What Do People Know and Believe about Vitamin D?
abstract: People have been exposed to a lot of information regarding vitamin D, with evidence suggesting that vitamin D may be involved in numerous health conditions, subsequently creating concerns about vitamin D insufficiency. As a result, what do people really know or believe about this topic? In this cross-sectional study, we assessed vitamin D-related knowledge and beliefs in 59,273 French adults (NutriNet-Santé cohort) using a specific questionnaire. Answers to this questionnaire were weighted according to the French sociodemographic distribution and compared across individual characteristics, using χ²-tests. Physicians and media were identified as key information providers. Participants did not always accurately cite vitamin D sources (e.g., 72% only for sun exposure, fatty fish: 61%) or established health effects (e.g., bone health: 62%-78%). Conversely, they mentioned incorrect sources and health effects for which there is no consensus yet (e.g., skin cancer). These findings were modulated by age/generational and socioeconomic factors. A strong inconsistency was also observed between participants' true vitamin D status (plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration) and their opinion about it. This study, the first in Europe with such a large sample, stresses the need for simple and up-to-date supports of communication for the public and healthcare professionals regarding sources and health effects of vitamin D.
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. m.deschasaux@eren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr.
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deschasaux
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Necker Hospital, Inserm U845, 75015 Paris, France. jean-claude.souberbielle@nck.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Souberbielle
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. valentin.partula@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Partula
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. l.lecuyer@eren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lécuyer
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. r.gonzalez@eren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr.
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. bernard.srour@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Srour
authors.affiliation: Computer Science Laboratory, François Rabelais University, 37000 Tours, France. christianeguinot@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guinot
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, Saint André Hospital, 33000 Bordeaux, France. denis.malvy@chu-bordeaux.fr.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Malvy
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. paule.martel@jouy.inra.fr.
authors.forename: Paule
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Latino-Martel
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. n.pecollo@eren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Druesne-Pecollo
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. p.galan@eren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galan
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. s.hercberg@eren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr.|Public Health Department, Avicenne Hospital, 93000 Bobigny, France. s.hercberg@eren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hercberg
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. e.kesse@eren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr.
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kesse-Guyot
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. p.fassier@eren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr.
authors.forename: Philippine
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fassier
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. khaled.ezzedine@aphp.fr.|Dermatology Department, Henri Mondor Hospital, 94010 Créteil, France. khaled.ezzedine@aphp.fr.
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ezzedine
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 93017 Bobigny, France. m.touvier@eren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr.
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Touvier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005504:Food Analysis; D005602:France; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013472:Sunlight; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: beliefs; knowledge; population-based study; vitamin D; vitamin D status