Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Biology and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 24;18(7):3364. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18073364.
Vitamin D can be produced by exposing skin to UVB radiation or sourced through dietary products. It is often stated that vitamin D status declines in older adults, yet little is known about differences in current-day lifestyle and dietary behaviours influencing vitamin D outcomes in younger (18-40 years old) and older adults (65-89 years old). Our objectives were to perform a pilot study to compare sun exposure behaviours, i.e., time spent outdoors, holiday behaviour and use of sunscreen/clothing, and dietary vitamin D intake, in young and older adults in the UK, together with assessment of their vitamin D status. A total of 13 young and 11 older volunteers completed a four-page questionnaire to assess sun exposure and photoprotective behaviour and an eleven-page one-week vitamin D diet diary, alongside their plasma 25(OH)D measurement. It was found that the older group tended to spend more time outdoors during the working week in summer, to take more summer and winter holidays each year, take longer winter holidays and have similar sunscreen use when compared to younger adults. Older adults had a significantly higher daily dietary intake of vitamin D (4.0 μg) than young adults (2.4 μg). Mean winter 25(OH)D concentration was higher in older (56.9 nmol/L) than in young adults (43.2 nmol/L), but there was no statistical difference between the groups. Contrary to common assumptions, in this study, older adults had sun exposure and dietary behaviours conferring a vitamin D status at least as good as that of younger adults.
维生素 D 可以通过暴露皮肤于 UVB 辐射或通过饮食产品来获得。人们常说老年人的维生素 D 水平下降，但对于影响年轻人（18-40 岁）和老年人（65-89 岁）维生素 D 水平的当前生活方式和饮食行为差异知之甚少。我们的目的是进行一项初步研究，比较英国年轻和老年人的阳光暴露行为，即户外活动时间、度假行为和防晒霜/衣服的使用，以及饮食中维生素 D 的摄入量，并评估他们的维生素 D 状况。共有 13 名年轻志愿者和 11 名老年志愿者完成了一份四页的问卷，以评估阳光暴露和光保护行为，以及一份为期一周的十一页维生素 D 饮食日记，同时还测量了他们的血浆 25(OH)D 水平。结果发现，与年轻成年人相比，老年组在夏季工作日更倾向于在户外度过更多时间，每年夏季和冬季假期更多，冬季假期更长，防晒霜使用情况相似。与年轻成年人（2.4 μg）相比，老年成年人（4.0 μg）的每日饮食中维生素 D 摄入量显著更高。与年轻成年人（43.2 nmol/L）相比，老年成年人（56.9 nmol/L）的冬季 25(OH)D 浓度更高，但两组之间无统计学差异。与普遍的假设相反，在这项研究中，老年人的阳光暴露和饮食行为使他们的维生素 D 状况至少与年轻人一样好。
