Original Article
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2008) 62, 625–634; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602753; published online 18 April 2007
Pakistani immigrant children and adults in Denmark have severely low vitamin D status
Guarantor: R Andersen.
Contributors: RA collected the data, wrote the manuscript and undertook the statistical analyses with advice from LTS, CM and LO. RA, CB, KDC, CL-A, CM and LO designed the study. JJ undertook the measurements of S-25OHD. KDC undertook the measurements of bone turnover markers. CL-A undertook the measurements of S-iPTH, calcium and phosphate. All contributed to the manuscript.
R Andersen1, C Mølgaard2, L T Skovgaard3, C Brot1, K D Cashman4, J Jakobsen5, C Lamberg-Allardt6 and L Ovesen1
- 1Department of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Søborg, Denmark
- 2Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
- 3Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 4Department of Food Science and Technology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- 5Department of Chemistry, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Søborg, Denmark
- 6Division of Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Correspondence: R Andersen, Department of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark. E-mail: ria@food.dtu.dk
Received 27 April 2006; Revised 5 March 2007; Accepted 8 March 2007; Published online 18 April 2007.
Abstract
Objective:
To determine vitamin D and bone status in adolescent girls, pre-menopausal women and men of Pakistani origin, to single out determinants of vitamin D status and to determine the association between vitamin D status, bone metabolism and bone status.
Subjects/Methods:
Cross-sectional study, Copenhagen (55°N), January-November. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (S-25OHD), serum intact parathyroid hormone (S-iPTH), bone turnover markers and whole body and lumbar spine bone mineral density were measured. Sun, smoking and clothing habits, age, body mass index (BMI), and vitamin D and calcium from food and from supplements were recorded. Thirty-seven girls (median age, range: 12.2 years, 10.1–14.7), 115 women (36.2 years, 18.1–52.7) and 95 men (38.3 years, 17.9–63.5) of Pakistani origin (immigrants or descendants with Pakistani parents) took part in the study.
Results:
Median concentration of S-25OHD was 10.9, 12.0 and 20.7 nmol/l for girls, women and men, respectively. Forty-seven per cent of the girls, 37% of the women and 24% of the men had elevated S-iPTH, and there was a negative relationship between S-iPTH and S-25OHD. Use of vitamin D-containing supplements had a positive association with S-25OHD for men (P=0.04) and women (P=0.0008). Twenty-one per cent of the women and 34% of the men had osteopenia. Neither S-25OHD nor S-iPTH was associated with lumbar spine or whole body bone mineral content.
Conclusions:
Severely low vitamin D status and elevated S-iPTH is common among Pakistani immigrants in Denmark. The low vitamin D status is not associated with bone markers or bone mass among relatively young Pakistanis.
Keywords:
vitamin D status, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, bone status, bone turnover markers, Pakistani immigrants, Denmark
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