Teenage girls and elderly women living in northern Europe have low winter vitamin D status

R Andersen; C Mølgaard; Lene Theil Skovgaard; C Brot; K D Cashman; E Chabros; J Charzewska; A Flynn; J Jakobsen; M Kärkkäinen; M Kiely; C Lamberg-Allardt; O Moreiras; A M Natri; M O'brien; M Rogalska-Niedzwiedz; Lars Ovesen

doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602108

Teenage girls and elderly women living in northern Europe have low winter vitamin D status

R Andersen, C Mølgaard, Lene Theil Skovgaard, C Brot, K D Cashman, E Chabros, J Charzewska, A Flynn, J Jakobsen, M Kärkkäinen, M Kiely, C Lamberg-Allardt, O Moreiras, A M Natri, M O'brien, M Rogalska-Niedzwiedz, Lars Ovesen

Department of Public Health

209 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D; S-25OHD) in adolescent girls and elderly community-dwelling women living in four countries of northern Europe and to explain differences in S-25OHD concentrations between and within the countries. DESIGN: A cross-sectional observational study conducted in a standardised way during February-March. S-25OHD was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Vitamin D and calcium intake was calculated using a standardised food composition database. SETTING: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and Poland. SUBJECTS: A total of 199 girls (mean (s.d.) age 12.6 (0.5) y) and 221 women (mean (s.d.) age 71.8 (1.4) y). RESULTS: The median (inter quartiles) concentration of S-25OHD was 29.4 (20.3, 38.3) nmol/l for the girls and 40.7 (28.0, 54.2) nmol/l for the women. S-25OHD below 25 nmol/l was found in 37% of the girls and 17% of the women, and S-25OHD below 50 nmol/l was found in 92% of the girls and 37% of the women. Positive significant determinants for S-25OHD in girls were use of vitamin D supplements, and in women sun habits, dietary vitamin D intake, use of vitamin D and calcium supplements. Body mass index and smoking were negative determinants in women. For women predictors could explain the differences between countries (P(country) = 0.09, R(2) = 0.39), but for girls the difference remained significant even after including predictors (P(country) = 0.03, R(2) = 0.15). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D status is low in northern Europe during winter. More than one-third of the adolescent girls have vitamin D status below 25 nmol/l and almost all are below 50 nmol/l. Two-thirds of the elderly community-dwelling women have vitamin D status below 50 nmol/l. Use of vitamin D supplements is a significant positive determinant for S-25OHD for both girls and women (P = 0.001). SPONSORSHIP: The European Fifth Framework Programme (Contract No. QLK1-CT-2000-00623).

Original language	English
Journal	European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume	59
Issue number	4
Pages (from-to)	533-41
Number of pages	8
ISSN	0954-3007
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602108
Publication status	Published - 2005

Access to Document

10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602108

Cite this

Andersen, R., Mølgaard, C., Skovgaard, L. T., Brot, C., Cashman, K. D., Chabros, E., Charzewska, J., Flynn, A., Jakobsen, J., Kärkkäinen, M., Kiely, M., Lamberg-Allardt, C., Moreiras, O., Natri, A. M., O'brien, M., Rogalska-Niedzwiedz, M., & Ovesen, L. (2005). Teenage girls and elderly women living in northern Europe have low winter vitamin D status. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 59(4), 533-41. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602108

Andersen, R, Mølgaard, C , Skovgaard, LT, Brot, C, Cashman, KD, Chabros, E, Charzewska, J, Flynn, A, Jakobsen, J, Kärkkäinen, M, Kiely, M, Lamberg-Allardt, C, Moreiras, O, Natri, AM, O'brien, M, Rogalska-Niedzwiedz, M & Ovesen, L 2005, 'Teenage girls and elderly women living in northern Europe have low winter vitamin D status', European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 533-41. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602108

@article{c8e116d055c011de87b8000ea68e967b,

title = "Teenage girls and elderly women living in northern Europe have low winter vitamin D status",

abstract = "OBJECTIVE: To determine the vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D; S-25OHD) in adolescent girls and elderly community-dwelling women living in four countries of northern Europe and to explain differences in S-25OHD concentrations between and within the countries. DESIGN: A cross-sectional observational study conducted in a standardised way during February-March. S-25OHD was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Vitamin D and calcium intake was calculated using a standardised food composition database. SETTING: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and Poland. SUBJECTS: A total of 199 girls (mean (s.d.) age 12.6 (0.5) y) and 221 women (mean (s.d.) age 71.8 (1.4) y). RESULTS: The median (inter quartiles) concentration of S-25OHD was 29.4 (20.3, 38.3) nmol/l for the girls and 40.7 (28.0, 54.2) nmol/l for the women. S-25OHD below 25 nmol/l was found in 37% of the girls and 17% of the women, and S-25OHD below 50 nmol/l was found in 92% of the girls and 37% of the women. Positive significant determinants for S-25OHD in girls were use of vitamin D supplements, and in women sun habits, dietary vitamin D intake, use of vitamin D and calcium supplements. Body mass index and smoking were negative determinants in women. For women predictors could explain the differences between countries (P(country) = 0.09, R(2) = 0.39), but for girls the difference remained significant even after including predictors (P(country) = 0.03, R(2) = 0.15). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D status is low in northern Europe during winter. More than one-third of the adolescent girls have vitamin D status below 25 nmol/l and almost all are below 50 nmol/l. Two-thirds of the elderly community-dwelling women have vitamin D status below 50 nmol/l. Use of vitamin D supplements is a significant positive determinant for S-25OHD for both girls and women (P = 0.001). SPONSORSHIP: The European Fifth Framework Programme (Contract No. QLK1-CT-2000-00623).",

author = "R Andersen and C M{\o}lgaard and Skovgaard, {Lene Theil} and C Brot and Cashman, {K D} and E Chabros and J Charzewska and A Flynn and J Jakobsen and M K{\"a}rkk{\"a}inen and M Kiely and C Lamberg-Allardt and O Moreiras and Natri, {A M} and M O'brien and M Rogalska-Niedzwiedz and Lars Ovesen",

note = "Keywords: Age Factors; Aged; Analysis of Variance; Anthropometry; Calcium; Child; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cross-Sectional Studies; Europe; Female; Humans; Nutrition Surveys; Nutritional Status; Seasons; Smoking; Vitamin D; Vitamin D Deficiency",

year = "2005",

doi = "10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602108",

language = "English",

volume = "59",

pages = "533--41",

journal = "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition",

issn = "0954-3007",

publisher = "nature publishing group",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Teenage girls and elderly women living in northern Europe have low winter vitamin D status

AU - Andersen, R

AU - Mølgaard, C

AU - Skovgaard, Lene Theil

AU - Brot, C

AU - Cashman, K D

AU - Chabros, E

AU - Charzewska, J

AU - Flynn, A

AU - Jakobsen, J

AU - Kärkkäinen, M

AU - Kiely, M

AU - Lamberg-Allardt, C

AU - Moreiras, O

AU - Natri, A M

AU - O'brien, M

AU - Rogalska-Niedzwiedz, M

AU - Ovesen, Lars

N1 - Keywords: Age Factors; Aged; Analysis of Variance; Anthropometry; Calcium; Child; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cross-Sectional Studies; Europe; Female; Humans; Nutrition Surveys; Nutritional Status; Seasons; Smoking; Vitamin D; Vitamin D Deficiency

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To determine the vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D; S-25OHD) in adolescent girls and elderly community-dwelling women living in four countries of northern Europe and to explain differences in S-25OHD concentrations between and within the countries. DESIGN: A cross-sectional observational study conducted in a standardised way during February-March. S-25OHD was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Vitamin D and calcium intake was calculated using a standardised food composition database. SETTING: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and Poland. SUBJECTS: A total of 199 girls (mean (s.d.) age 12.6 (0.5) y) and 221 women (mean (s.d.) age 71.8 (1.4) y). RESULTS: The median (inter quartiles) concentration of S-25OHD was 29.4 (20.3, 38.3) nmol/l for the girls and 40.7 (28.0, 54.2) nmol/l for the women. S-25OHD below 25 nmol/l was found in 37% of the girls and 17% of the women, and S-25OHD below 50 nmol/l was found in 92% of the girls and 37% of the women. Positive significant determinants for S-25OHD in girls were use of vitamin D supplements, and in women sun habits, dietary vitamin D intake, use of vitamin D and calcium supplements. Body mass index and smoking were negative determinants in women. For women predictors could explain the differences between countries (P(country) = 0.09, R(2) = 0.39), but for girls the difference remained significant even after including predictors (P(country) = 0.03, R(2) = 0.15). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D status is low in northern Europe during winter. More than one-third of the adolescent girls have vitamin D status below 25 nmol/l and almost all are below 50 nmol/l. Two-thirds of the elderly community-dwelling women have vitamin D status below 50 nmol/l. Use of vitamin D supplements is a significant positive determinant for S-25OHD for both girls and women (P = 0.001). SPONSORSHIP: The European Fifth Framework Programme (Contract No. QLK1-CT-2000-00623).

AB - OBJECTIVE: To determine the vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D; S-25OHD) in adolescent girls and elderly community-dwelling women living in four countries of northern Europe and to explain differences in S-25OHD concentrations between and within the countries. DESIGN: A cross-sectional observational study conducted in a standardised way during February-March. S-25OHD was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Vitamin D and calcium intake was calculated using a standardised food composition database. SETTING: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and Poland. SUBJECTS: A total of 199 girls (mean (s.d.) age 12.6 (0.5) y) and 221 women (mean (s.d.) age 71.8 (1.4) y). RESULTS: The median (inter quartiles) concentration of S-25OHD was 29.4 (20.3, 38.3) nmol/l for the girls and 40.7 (28.0, 54.2) nmol/l for the women. S-25OHD below 25 nmol/l was found in 37% of the girls and 17% of the women, and S-25OHD below 50 nmol/l was found in 92% of the girls and 37% of the women. Positive significant determinants for S-25OHD in girls were use of vitamin D supplements, and in women sun habits, dietary vitamin D intake, use of vitamin D and calcium supplements. Body mass index and smoking were negative determinants in women. For women predictors could explain the differences between countries (P(country) = 0.09, R(2) = 0.39), but for girls the difference remained significant even after including predictors (P(country) = 0.03, R(2) = 0.15). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D status is low in northern Europe during winter. More than one-third of the adolescent girls have vitamin D status below 25 nmol/l and almost all are below 50 nmol/l. Two-thirds of the elderly community-dwelling women have vitamin D status below 50 nmol/l. Use of vitamin D supplements is a significant positive determinant for S-25OHD for both girls and women (P = 0.001). SPONSORSHIP: The European Fifth Framework Programme (Contract No. QLK1-CT-2000-00623).

U2 - 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602108

DO - 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602108

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 15714215

SN - 0954-3007

VL - 59

SP - 533

EP - 541

JO - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

JF - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

IS - 4

ER -

Teenage girls and elderly women living in northern Europe have low winter vitamin D status

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this