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Published on: February 12, 2015
Vitamin D Status in an Italian Pediatric Cohort: Is There a Role for Tobacco Smoking Exposure?
Maria Grazia Clemente1, Dario Argiolas1, Stefania Bassu1
1University of Sassari, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, Clinic of Pediatric, Sassari, Italy
Insights
Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in Sardinian children. Passive smoke exposure was identified as a significant risk factor for vitamin D insufficiency in this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Vitamin D deficiency is a global health concern.
- Hypovitaminosis D affects children worldwide, necessitating local status investigations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess vitamin D status in Sardinian children.
- To identify determinants of vitamin D levels, including environmental factors.
Main Methods:
- Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured in 182 children.
- Data on passive smoke exposure and other variables were collected via questionnaire.
Main Results:
- 67.6% of children had sufficient vitamin D levels (>20 ng/mL).
- 32.4% exhibited insufficient or deficient vitamin D levels (≤20 ng/mL).
- Passive smoke exposure significantly correlated with lower 25(OH)D levels (p<0.0001).
Conclusions:
- Hypovitaminosis D is common among Italian children.
- Passive smoke exposure is a significant risk factor for vitamin D deficiency in children.
Objective:
Vitamin D deficiency is a common public health issue worldwide. The purpose of this study was to investigate the vitamin D status and its potential determinants in children residing in Sardinia (40°N), Italy.
Methods:
Children were enrolled over a 12-month period. Serum 25(OH)D was measured by an immunochemiluminescence assay. A questionnaire was used to gather information on other variables, including passive smoke exposure.
Results:
A total of 182 children (males: 51.7%; median age: 9 years) were included. Mean±standard deviation serum 25(OH)D was 25.2±8.3 ng/mL for the whole group. The majority (n=123, 67.6%) had vitamin D sufficient values >20 ng/mL, while 32.4% (n=59) had vitamin D insufficient/deficient values (≤20 ng/mL). Among the variables investigated, passive smoke exposure was significantly associated with insufficient 25(OH)D levels (p<0.0001).
Conclusion:
Our results confirm that hypovitaminosis D is common in Italian children. Furthermore, passive smoke exposure was identified as a significant risk factor for hypovitaminosis D.
