Vitamin D Deficiency Among Afghan Adolescents in Kabul.

OBJECTIVE

To determine vitamin D deficiency (25-OH-D level <20 ng/ml) frequency among apparently healthy Afghan adolescents.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional analytical study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY

Pathology Department, French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (FMIC) Kabul, from June to Sep 2016.

METHODOLOGY

Adolescents who reported for analysis of vitamin D level in their sera were included. Age, gender, duration of sun exposure, area of exposed skin, types of living and eating lifestyles were documented. Vitamin D levels were measured by chemiluminescence method, using immunoassay autoanalysers. The participants were divided into five categories according to their serum vitamin D levels as sufficiency: >30-100 ng/ml; insufficiency: >20-29 ng/ml; deficiency: <20 ng/ml; severe deficiency: <10 ng/ml; and intoxication: >150 ng/ml. Participants who had vitamin D intoxication were excluded from the study.

RESULTS

Out of 308 cases for final analysis, 202 (65.6%) were females and 106 (34.4%) were males. Of all, 238 (77.3%) had a low level of vitamin D in their sera, whereas 70 (22.7%) had vitamin D sufficiency. Among those having hypovitaminosis D, 107 (45%) had severe deficiency, 81 (34%) had deficiency and 50 (21%) had vitamin D insufficiency. More pronounced lower levels were observed in females. Exposure to sun, use of a sun protector, vitamin D supplements, and vitamin D rich food intake, type of living, skin colour, and BMI of participants were seen as important factors linked to vitamin D levels.

CONCLUSION

Hypovitaminosis D is prevailing among Afghan adolescents, more pronounced in girls. Wearing of traditional clothes, duration of sunlight, type of living and inadequate consumption of vitamin D rich foods are significant determinants of hypovitaminosis D.