TY - JOUR
T1 - Vitamin D deficiency in Europe
T2 - pandemic?
AU - Cashman, Kevin D.
AU - Dowling, Kirsten G
AU - Škrabáková, Zuzana
AU - Gonzalez-Gross, Marcela
AU - Valtueña, Jara
AU - De Henauw, Stefaan
AU - Moreno, Luis A.
AU - Damsgaard, Camilla Trab
AU - Michaelsen, Kim F.
AU - Mølgaard, Christian
AU - Jorde, Rolf
AU - Grimnes, Guri
AU - Moschonis, George
AU - Mavrogianni, Christina
AU - Manios, Yannis
AU - Thamm, Michael
AU - Mensink, Gert BM
AU - Rabenberg, Martina
AU - Busch, Markus A
AU - Cox, Lorna
AU - Meadows, Sarah
AU - Goldberg, Gail
AU - Prentice, Ann
AU - Dekker, Jacqueline M
AU - Nijpels, Giel
AU - Pilz, Stefan
AU - Swart, Karin M A
AU - van Schoor, Natasja M
AU - Lips, Paul
AU - Eiriksdottir, Gudny
AU - Gudnason, Vilmundur
AU - Cotch, Mary Frances
AU - Koskinen, Seppo
AU - Lamberg-Allardt, Christel
AU - Durazo-Arvizu, Ramon A
AU - Sempos, Christopher T
AU - Kiely, Mairead
N1 - CURIS 2016 NEXS 061
PY - 2016/4/1
Y1 - 2016/4/1
N2 - Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been described as being pandemic, but serum 25-hydroxyVitamin D [25(OH)D] distribution data for the European Union are of very variable quality. The NIHled international Vitamin D Standardization Program (VDSP) has developed protocols for standardizing existing 25(OH)D values from national health/nutrition surveys. Objective: This study applied VDSP protocols to serum 25(OH)D data from representative childhood/teenage and adult/older adult European populations, representing a sizable geographical footprint, to better quantify the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in Europe. Design: The VDSP protocols were applied in 14 population studies [reanalysis of subsets of serum 25(OH)D in 11 studies and complete analysis of all samples from 3 studies that had not previously measured it] by using certified liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry on biobanked sera. These data were combined with standardized serum 25(OH)D data from 4 previously standardized studies (for a total n = 55,844). Prevalence estimates of Vitamin D deficiency [using various serum 25(OH)D thresholds] were generated on the basis of standardized 25(OH)D data. Results: An overall pooled estimate, irrespective of age group, ethnic mix, and latitude of study populations, showed that 13.0% of the 55,844 European individuals had serum 25(OH)D concentrations <30 nmol/L on average in the year, with 17.7% and 8.3% in those sampled during the extended winter (October-March) and summer (April-November) periods, respectively. According to an alternate suggested definition of Vitamin D deficiency (<50 nmol/ L), the prevalence was 40.4%. Dark-skinned ethnic subgroups had much higher (3- to 71-fold) prevalence of serum 25(OH)D <30 nmol/L than did white populations. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is evident throughout the European population at prevalence rates that are concerning and that require action from a public health perspective. What direction these strategies take will depend on European policy but should aim to ensure Vitamin D intakes that are protective against Vitamin D deficiency in the majority of the European population.
AB - Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been described as being pandemic, but serum 25-hydroxyVitamin D [25(OH)D] distribution data for the European Union are of very variable quality. The NIHled international Vitamin D Standardization Program (VDSP) has developed protocols for standardizing existing 25(OH)D values from national health/nutrition surveys. Objective: This study applied VDSP protocols to serum 25(OH)D data from representative childhood/teenage and adult/older adult European populations, representing a sizable geographical footprint, to better quantify the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in Europe. Design: The VDSP protocols were applied in 14 population studies [reanalysis of subsets of serum 25(OH)D in 11 studies and complete analysis of all samples from 3 studies that had not previously measured it] by using certified liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry on biobanked sera. These data were combined with standardized serum 25(OH)D data from 4 previously standardized studies (for a total n = 55,844). Prevalence estimates of Vitamin D deficiency [using various serum 25(OH)D thresholds] were generated on the basis of standardized 25(OH)D data. Results: An overall pooled estimate, irrespective of age group, ethnic mix, and latitude of study populations, showed that 13.0% of the 55,844 European individuals had serum 25(OH)D concentrations <30 nmol/L on average in the year, with 17.7% and 8.3% in those sampled during the extended winter (October-March) and summer (April-November) periods, respectively. According to an alternate suggested definition of Vitamin D deficiency (<50 nmol/ L), the prevalence was 40.4%. Dark-skinned ethnic subgroups had much higher (3- to 71-fold) prevalence of serum 25(OH)D <30 nmol/L than did white populations. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is evident throughout the European population at prevalence rates that are concerning and that require action from a public health perspective. What direction these strategies take will depend on European policy but should aim to ensure Vitamin D intakes that are protective against Vitamin D deficiency in the majority of the European population.
U2 - 10.3945/ajcn.115.120873
DO - 10.3945/ajcn.115.120873
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 26864360
SN - 0002-9165
VL - 103
SP - 1033
EP - 1044
JO - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
JF - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
IS - 4
ER -
