Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Identification of Homologous Recombination Events in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Using Southern Blotting and Polymerase Chain Reaction
08:01

Identification of Homologous Recombination Events in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Using Southern Blotting and Polymerase Chain Reaction

Published on: November 20, 2018

9.7K

Vitamin D status of children in Kerala, southern India

Madhava Vijayakumar1, Vijayalakshmi Bhatia2, Biju George3

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India.

Public Health Nutrition
|January 11, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Vitamin D deficiency is uncommon in children in Kerala, India, likely due to local fish consumption and sunny conditions. This highlights regional variations in nutritional status and public health needs.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Science
  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Vitamin D deficiency is a global concern, particularly in children.
  • Understanding regional variations in vitamin D status is crucial for targeted public health interventions.
  • Kerala, southern India, has unique dietary habits and environmental factors that may influence vitamin D levels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status in children residing in Kerala, India.
  • To investigate the relationship between sociodemographic variables, dietary intake, sun exposure, and 25(OH)D levels.
  • To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in this pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 296 children with minor illnesses at a tertiary government hospital.
  • Data on sun exposure, calcium (Ca), and vitamin D intake were collected using a 7-day dietary recall.
  • Plasma 25(OH)D, serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were measured.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (plasma 25(OH)D <30 nmol/l) was 11.1%.
  • Higher plasma 25(OH)D levels were associated with daily fish consumption, the summer season (March-May), lower age, and higher calcium intake.
  • Plasma 25(OH)D showed positive correlations with serum phosphorus and calcium intake, and negative correlations with age and PTH.

Conclusions:

  • Vitamin D deficiency is relatively low among children in Kerala.
  • The traditional fish-rich diet and geographical latitude of coastal Kerala appear to be protective factors against vitamin D deficiency.
  • Public health policies in India should consider regional dietary and environmental diversity when addressing vitamin D status.
Abstract

Keywords:
25-Hydroxyvitamin DFishLatitudeRicketsSun

More Related Videos

Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children04:55

Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children

Published on: September 11, 2018

11.2K
Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children &#8211; Working Memory (CABC-WM)09:05

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)

Published on: June 12, 2017

30.8K

Related Concept Videos

Southern Blot02:57

Southern Blot

Agarose gel electrophoresis is very useful in separating DNA fragments by size. Running a DNA ladder containing fragments of the known length alongside the sample helps determine the approximate length of the sample DNA fragments. However, additional steps are needed to verify the sequence identity of the sample DNA fragments.
Denatured DNA fragments must be transferred onto a carrier membrane from the gel to make it accessible to a probe - a small ssDNA fragment complementary to the target DNA...
22.7K
Vitamins01:30

Vitamins

Vitamins, derived from the Latin word for life, are essential organic substances required in small quantities for optimal growth and overall well-being. Unlike other organic nutrients, vitamins don't act as sources of energy or building materials but rather facilitate these nutrients' utilization by the body. Vitamins are predominantly coenzymes, assisting enzymes in specific chemical actions, like the oxidation of glucose for energy involving B vitamins. Most vitamins are not produced...
2.4K
Marcia's Theory of Identity Status01:26

Marcia's Theory of Identity Status

James Marcia's identity status model provides a framework for understanding how adolescents navigate identity formation through varying degrees of exploration and commitment. Marcia's model builds on Erik Erikson's theories of psychosocial development, focusing specifically on how adolescents reconcile individual aspirations with societal expectations. His model describes identity formation as a dynamic process where adolescents move between different states depending on their level...
1.5K
Mineral, Vitamin and Water Absorption01:27

Mineral, Vitamin and Water Absorption

Electrolytes are essential minerals and ions primarily obtained from the diet and absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. Most electrolytes are absorbed in the small intestine. While the absorption of iron and calcium primarily occurs in the duodenum, calcium is also absorbed in the jejunum and ileum. In these regions, passive diffusion contributes to its absorption alongside active transport mechanisms in the duodenum. These ions can exit the enterocytes through specialized active...
1.5K
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis01:23

Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis

The skin plays a crucial role in the synthesis of vitamin D, a vital nutrient for various physiological processes in the body. Vitamin D is unique because it can be synthesized in the skin through a series of chemical reactions triggered by exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight.
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin...
7.7K
Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health01:25

Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health

The growth and maintenance of bone are regulated by a combination of nutritional factors, including vitamins, such as vitamin A, B12, C, D, and K.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
5.2K