Bener A, Al-Ali M, Hoffmann G F
Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad General Hospital Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
Minerva Pediatr. 2009 Feb;61(1):15-22.
Several studies indicate a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among young populations. Information about the vitamin D status in young adult populations from the Middle East is scarce. The vitamin D status can be expected to be influenced by highly different factors between various countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in young Qatari children below 16 years of age.
A cross-sectional study carried out among children below 16 years of age who visited the Primary Health Care Centers (PHCs). The survey was conducted over a period from August 2007 to March 2008. Qatari nationals, male and female, aged below 16 years. A random sample of 650 children who visited the PHC Centers was approached and parents of 458 children expressed their consent to participate in this study, corresponding to a response rate of 70.5%. Face-to-face interviews were based on a questionnaire that included variables such as socio-demographic information, life style, family history and feeding patterns during infancy, and clinical information as well as laboratory investigations for biochemical assessment of vitamin D status.
Of the total number of 458 children surveyed, 228 (49.8%) were males and 230 (50.2%) females. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among the studied Qatari children was (68.8%), mostly in the age group (11-16) years (61.6%). There was a significant difference between vitamin D deficient and normal children as compared to their age (P=0.013). Vitamin D deficiency was more common among girls (51.4%) than boys (48.6%). Exposure to sunlight was limited in both groups; but even lower in vitamin D deficient children (57.5%) than in normal children (70.6%). The duration of time spent outside was again low in both groups but significantly lower in vitamin D deficient children (23.5 minutes) compared to normal children (28.4 minutes). Low duration of time spent outdoors, breast feeding less than 6 months, a family history of diabetes mellitus and physical activity were significant predictors for vitamin D deficiency in Qatari children. Rickets, fractures, gastroenteritis and delayed milestones were all significantly higher in vitamin D deficient children.
The present study revealed that the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is high in Qatari children and more common in Qatari girls. In the young population in Qatar, vitamin D deficiency appears to result from a combination of limitations in sunlight exposure and a low oral intake of vitamin D.
多项研究表明年轻人群中维生素D缺乏症的患病率很高。关于中东地区年轻成年人群维生素D状况的信息很少。欧洲、中东和亚洲不同国家之间，维生素D状况可能受到截然不同的因素影响。本研究的目的是确定16岁以下卡塔尔儿童维生素D缺乏症的患病率。
对前往初级卫生保健中心（PHC）就诊的16岁以下儿童进行横断面研究。调查于2007年8月至2008年3月期间进行。研究对象为年龄在16岁以下的卡塔尔男女国民。对随机抽取的650名前往PHC中心就诊的儿童进行了调查，458名儿童的家长表示同意参与本研究，对应答复率为70.5%。面对面访谈基于一份问卷，该问卷包括社会人口统计学信息、生活方式、家族病史和婴儿期喂养方式等变量，以及临床信息和用于维生素D状况生化评估的实验室检查。
在总共458名接受调查的儿童中，男性228名（49.8%），女性230名（50.2%）。在接受研究的卡塔尔儿童中，维生素D缺乏症的患病率为68.8%，主要集中在11至16岁年龄组（61.6%）。维生素D缺乏儿童与正常儿童相比，年龄存在显著差异（P=0.013）。维生素D缺乏症在女孩中（51.4%）比男孩中（48.6%）更常见。两组儿童接受阳光照射的机会都有限；但维生素D缺乏儿童（57.5%）比正常儿童（70.6%）更低。两组儿童在户外停留的时间都很短，但维生素D缺乏儿童（23.5分钟）明显低于正常儿童（28.4分钟）。在户外停留时间短、母乳喂养少于6个月、有糖尿病家族史和缺乏体育活动是卡塔尔儿童维生素D缺乏症的重要预测因素。维生素D缺乏儿童患佝偻病、骨折、肠胃炎和发育迟缓的比例都明显更高。
本研究表明卡塔尔儿童维生素D缺乏症的患病率很高，且在卡塔尔女孩中更为常见。在卡塔尔的年轻人群中，维生素D缺乏似乎是由于阳光照射受限和维生素D口服摄入量低共同导致的。
