Vitamin D status among vegetarians and non-vegetarians

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Public Health
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Vitamin D is crucial for bone and muscle health.
• Vitamin D deficiency is a significant global health issue, particularly prevalent in Pakistan.
• Understanding the association between diet and vitamin D status is vital for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between serum vitamin D levels, Parathyroid Hormone (PTH), calcium, and phosphate with dietary habits.
• To compare these biochemical markers between individuals in urban and rural areas of Sindh, Pakistan.
• To assess the impact of dietary patterns (vegetarian vs. non-vegetarian) on vitamin D status.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 176 healthy subjects aged 20-80 years in urban (Karachi) and rural (Haji Goth) settings.
• Blood samples were analyzed for serum vitamin D, PTH, calcium, and phosphorus.
• Statistical analysis included student's t-test to determine significant differences (p < 0.05).

Main Results:

• Non-vegetarians (52.84%) and vegetarians (47.16%) showed significant differences in Body Mass Index (BMI) and vitamin D levels (p < 0.001).
• Non-vegetarians exhibited significantly higher PTH levels (p < 0.001) and lower vitamin D compared to vegetarians.
• Urban vegetarians had lower vitamin D than rural vegetarians (p < 0.05), and serum calcium was low in both urban and rural subjects across diets (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Non-vegetarians experienced severe vitamin D deficiency.
• Vegetarians presented with vitamin D insufficiency, irrespective of their urban or rural residence.
• Dietary habits significantly influence vitamin D status and associated biochemical markers in the Pakistani population.