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. 2014 Apr;17(4):764-71.
doi: 10.1017/S1368980013000438. Epub 2013 Mar 6.

Risk factors for low vitamin D status in Korean adolescents: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008-2009

Young Ah Lee  1 , Hwa Young Kim  1 , Hyunsook Hong  2 , Ji Young Kim  1 , Hyun Jin Kwon  3 , Choong Ho Shin  1 , Sei Won Yang  1
Affiliations

Risk factors for low vitamin D status in Korean adolescents: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008-2009

Young Ah Lee et al. Public Health Nutr. 2014 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and predictors for low vitamin D status in Korean adolescents living between latitudes 33° and 39° N.

Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

Setting: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008-2009.

Subjects: A total of 1510 healthy adolescents aged 12-18 years (806 male, mean age 14.7 years) participated. Possible predictors for low vitamin D status (log-transformed 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations) were evaluated.

Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D<20 ng/ml) was 89.1% in spring, 53.7% in summer, 63.9% in autumn and 90.5% in winter. Winter season, older age, higher education level reached, being female, being obese, a lack of vitamin D supplementation, lower milk consumption (0-<200 ml/d) and a lack of physical activity were unadjusted predictors (all P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that winter season (P < 0.001), higher education level (P < 0.001) and a lack of vitamin D supplementation (P = 0.012) were independent predictors for low vitamin D status. The modifying effect of season on the association between vitamin D supplement use and vitamin D status was significant (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent in Korean adolescents, especially those in higher school grades. Vitamin D supplementation may contribute to maintain a better vitamin D status with lower seasonal variation. Further studies are required to determine optimal vitamin D intakes to maintain sufficient vitamin D status for Korean adolescents.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Percentage of the study sample with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations <10 ng/ml (formula image), 10–<15 ng/ml (formula image), 15–<20 ng/ml (formula image), 20–<30 ng/ml (formula image) and ≥30 ng/ml (formula image) according to season: adolescents aged 12–18 years (n 1510), Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008–2009
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The modifying effect of season on the association between vitamin D supplement use (– – ▴ – –, supplement use = no; —●—, supplement use = yes) and vitamin D status (measured as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration (ng/ml)) was significant (P < 0·001), after adjustments were made for other variables: adolescents aged 12–18 years (n 1510), Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008–2009
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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