Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Nutrition Knowledge Among University Students in Durres, Albania

This study aimed to determine 25 OH-vitamin D status and frequency of its determinants related to diet, lifestyle, and exposure to sunlight among young, healthy nursing students, first-year living in Durres, in Durres, Albania.

This cross-sectional study included responses gathered on a questionnaire from nursing students at the University "Aleksander Moisiu" Durres (UAMD), Durres, from March through April 2024. Questions regarding demographics, sun exposure, and diet were recorded. Serum 25 (OH) vitamin D3, calcium, and phosphorus levels were measured through laboratory examination. For serum 25 OHD, the cutoff values ≤ 12 ng/mL, ≤ 20 ng/mL, ≥ 21 - 29 ng/mL, and ≥ 30 ng/mL were defined as very deficient, deficient, insufficient, and sufficient, respectively. The reference values for calcium are 8.6 - 10.3 mg/dL and 2.7 - 4.9 mg/dL for phosphorus.

The total number of nursing students enrolled in the study was 187. Among those, 161 (86.43%) were female and 26 (13.57%) were male. Mean ± SD of age was almost similar between the gender groups (19.00 ± 2.56 vs. 19.03 ± 2.05). In total, 148 (79.40%) of the students had BMI within normal range. Further, 25 OH-vitamin D deficiency was found in 164 (87.7%) participants, insufficiency in 16 (8.5%) participants, and only 7 (3.7%) participants had sufficient levels. In total, 31.6% of students eat one egg per day, 33.1% drink 250 mL of milk per day, and the percentage of students that eat fresh fish was less common, with only 23.8%.

Deficiency of 25 OH-vitamin D is common among healthy young adults, particularly females, which emphasizes the need to add vitamin D supplements to routine diet.