Vitamin D status in Poland

Abstract

Introduction: Epidemiological data on Vitamin D status in the Polish population are limited. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the Vitamin D status in a representative group of adult inhabitants of 22 Polish cities, based on the analysis of serum 25-hydroxyVitamin D [25(OH)D] levels. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study included a total of 5775 adult volunteers (4464 women; 1311 men; mean age, 54.0 ±15.9 years; range, 15.6-89.8 years), who were enrolled and examined through late winter and spring 2014. Serum concentrations of 25(OH)D were determined using the Liaison XL system (DiaSorin; CLIA method). Demographic and anthropometric data were also analyzed. RESULTS The mean 25(OH)D concentration in the studied population was 18.0 ±9.6 ng/ml; 65.8% of the patients had 25(OH)D levels of less than 20 ng/ml; 24.1% had suboptimal levels of 20 to 30 ng/ml; and only 9.1% demonstrated the optimal levels of 30 to 50 ng/ml. In 89.9% of the studied population, 25(OH)D levels of less than 30 ng/ml were found. Obesity, defined as body mass index (BMI) over 30 kg/m2, was associated with lower 25(OH)D levels compared with normal weight (15.8 ±8.5 vs 18.5 ±9.7 ng/ml; P <0.0001). Lower 25(OH)D levels were observed in men, younger individuals, and individuals with excess body weight and higher BMI. Conclusions: The results of our study, which involved the most representative sample size of Polish adults, support the previously reported data on Vitamin D status. The levels of 25(OH)D determined for adults in our study demonstrate that the majority of the Polish population is Vitamin D deficient, at least during winter and spring, and that preventive or interventional strategies must be considered to improve the Vitamin D status in Poland.