Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and associated comorbidities among Abu Dhabi Emirates population | BMC Research Notes | Full Text

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and associated comorbidities among Abu Dhabi Emirates population | BMC Research Notes | Full Text

BMC Research Notes

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and associated comorbidities among Abu Dhabi Emirates population

• Amal Abdul Rahim Al Zarooni, 
• Fatima Ibrahim Al Marzouqi, 
• Salma Hamad Al Darmaki, 
• Engela Adriana Margrietha Prinsloo & 
• Nico Nagelkerke 

BMC Research Notesvolume 12, Article number: 503 (2019) | Download Citation

Abstract

Objective

The study explored the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, its seasonal variation and associated comorbidities among the Abu Dhabi Emirati population living in urban and suburban settings.

Result

Of the 12,346 participants 36.9% were male and 63.1% female. The majority (72%) were either vitamin D deficient (< 50 nmol/L), or (10%) vitamin D insufficient (50–74 nmol/L). Vitamin D deficiency was similar in both sexes (male 83.1% vs female 83.8%) as insufficiency (male 12.7% vs female 11.2%). Low vitamin D levels were associated with high blood pressure, high body mass index, central obesity, high cholesterol, impaired blood glucose levels and a high Framingham risk score. The mean vitamin D level was highest in January (winter) and lowest in July (summer).