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Global vitamin D status and determinants of hypovitaminosis D

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An Erratum to this article was published on 19 August 2009

An Erratum to this article was published on 19 August 2009

Abstract

Summary

This review describes the vitamin D status in different regions of the world with the objective of understanding the scope of hypovitaminosis D and the factors related to its prevalence that may contribute to the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and fragility fractures.

Introduction

Vitamin D status has been linked to the pathogenesis of hip fractures as well as other skeletal and non-skeletal disorders. The purpose of this review is to provide a global perspective of vitamin D status across different regions of the world and to identify the common and significant determinants of hypovitaminosis D.

Methods

Six regions of the world were reviewed—Asia, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America, North America, and Oceania—through a survey of published literature.

Results

The definition of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency, as well as assay methodology for 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D, vary between studies. However, serum 25(OH)D levels below 75 nmol/L are prevalent in every region studied whilst levels below 25 nmol/L are most common in regions such as South Asia and the Middle East. Older age, female sex, higher latitude, winter season, darker skin pigmentation, less sunlight exposure, dietary habits, and absence of vitamin D fortification are the main factors that are significantly associated with lower 25(OH)D levels.

Conclusion

Reports from across the world indicate that hypovitaminosis D is widespread and is re-emerging as a major health problem globally.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the scientific contributions made for regional reports: Asia: Dr. Nidhi Malhotra; Middle East and Africa: Ms. Aida Farha, Ms. Rola El-Rassi, and Mr. Ghassan Baliki; Oceania: Drs. Jacqueline R. Center, Sunita Kaur Sandhu, and Paul J. Lee. The Nutrition Working Group of the IOF Committee of Scientific Advisors was supported by the International Osteoporosis Foundation.

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An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00198-009-1030-y

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Mithal, A., Wahl, D.A., Bonjour, JP. et al. Global vitamin D status and determinants of hypovitaminosis D. Osteoporos Int 20, 1807–1820 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-009-0954-6

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