Serum-25-hydroxyvitamin-D concentrations in adolescent boys

Area of Science:

• Nutritional science
• Pediatric endocrinology
• Public health

Background:

• Vitamin D deficiency is a growing concern, particularly in diverse urban populations.
• Adolescence is a critical period for bone development, making adequate vitamin D status essential.
• Previous studies indicated potential disparities in vitamin D levels among different ethnic groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess vitamin D status in 13-year-old schoolboys of Asian, West Indian, and European origin in Birmingham.
• To identify the prevalence of low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 (25-OHD3) concentrations across ethnic groups.
• To explore the relationship between vitamin D status, parathormone levels, and potential contributing factors.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 256 thirteen-year-old schoolboys from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
• Measurement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 (25-OHD3) and serum parathormone concentrations.
• Assessment of dietary vitamin D intake and sunlight exposure.
• Follow-up investigation of children with initially low 25-OHD3 levels.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence (78%) of low serum 25-OHD3 concentrations, indicative of rickets and osteomalacia, was found in Asian boys.
• Low serum 25-OHD3 levels were also observed in a smaller proportion of West Indian and European boys.
• Elevated serum parathormone levels were common in children with deficient vitamin D status.
• Follow-up showed improvement, but some children still exhibited low 25-OHD3 levels.

Conclusions:

• Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among Asian adolescents in Birmingham.
• Dietary intake and sunlight exposure were similar across groups, suggesting other factors contribute to deficiency.
• Oral supplementation of 1 mg of vitamin D3 per school term is proposed to mitigate vitamin D deficiency in this population.