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. 2019 Jul 4;11(7):1516.
doi: 10.3390/nu11071516.

High Prevalence of Hypovitaminosis D in Institutionalized Elderly Individuals is Associated with Summer in a Region with High Ultraviolet Radiation Levels

Sara Estéfani S Sousa  1 , Márcia Cristina Sales  2 , José Rodolfo T Araújo  3 , Karine C M Sena-Evangelista  1   4 , Kenio C Lima  3   5 , Lucia F C Pedrosa  6   7   8
Affiliations

High Prevalence of Hypovitaminosis D in Institutionalized Elderly Individuals is Associated with Summer in a Region with High Ultraviolet Radiation Levels

Sara Estéfani S Sousa et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Vitamin D may play a significant role in regulating the rate of aging. The objective of the study was to assess vitamin D status and its associated factors in institutionalized elderly individuals. A total of 153 elderly individuals living in Nursing Homes (NH) were recruited into the study. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration was used as the biomarker of vitamin D status, and it was considered as the dependent variable in the model. The independent variables were the type of NH, age-adjusted time of institutionalization, age, sex, skin color, body mass index, waist and calf circumference, physical activity practice, mobility, dietary intake of vitamin D and calcium, vitamin D supplementation, use of antiepileptics, and season of the year. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations less than or equal to 29 ng/mL were classified as insufficient vitamin D status. The prevalences of inadequate dietary intake of vitamin D and calcium were 95.4% and 79.7%, respectively. The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was 71.2%, and the mean serum concentration of 25(OH)D was 23.9 ng/mL (95% confidence interval [CI]: 22.8-26.1). Serum 25(OH)D concentration was associated with the season of summer (p = 0.046). There were no associations with other independent variables (all p > 0.05). The present results showed that a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was significantly associated with summer in institutionalized elderly individuals.

Keywords: elderly individuals; nursing homes; vitamin D.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the study participants.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Theoretical model of the determinants of vitamin D status in institutionalized elderly individuals.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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