Vitamin D status

Abstract

Vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, is very important for overall health. Our body produces vitamin D3 naturally, whenever we get exposure to the sun. Therefore, people who are not in the habit of going out in the sun may have a deficiency of vitamin D3. The climate of Surat city is moderate with average temperatures of 37 degrees, 32 degrees and 23 degrees Celsius in summer, monsoon and winter, respectively, yet deficiency of vitamin D3 prevails in the population of the city. Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin which helps the body to absorb calcium and phosphorus and is essential for building robust bone health. The studies available in the present literature are longitudinal in nature and most have small sample sizes. Therefore, in this paper, an attempt was made to give an idea of a picture regarding the level of vitamin D3 in the population of Surat city. Some of the major findings are: D3 level is found statistically significantly different age-wise as well as gender-wise.