Worldwide: Rates of vitamin D insufficiency are higher among women than men with older women being at most risk for developing osteoporosis.
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has launched an interactive global map of vitamin D status, which presents a snapshot of vitamin D levels worldwide. The map and accompanying publication1 confirm that vitamin D insufficiency is a major public health issue in both the developing and industrialized world, with more than one third of all the populations studied, showing insufficient levels of vitamin D2.
Osteoporosis is a serious chronic disease which affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Vitamin D improves bone mineral density, which lowers risk of fracture, while also improving muscle strength, balance, and leg function which decreases the risk of falling and sustaining a fracture in the first place. As a consequence, vitamin D insufficiency has been linked to a higher risk of osteoporotic fractures. Studies show that adequate vitamin D intake can reduce the risk of falls and fractures by around 30 percent3.
Additional key findings include:
„h Older people are especially at risk for vitamin D insufficiency, including older women who are a risk group for osteoporosis, and those living indoors in institutionalized care;
„h Overall, insufficient vitamin D levels were detected in more than one third of the study population4;
„h Vitamin D insufficiency affects both the developing world and industrialized world;
„h The main source of vitamin D is sunlight, but even in sunny countries, vitamin D levels are generally low and below recommended levels (taking India as example: a sunny country; yet, with low vitamin D status);
„h It is estimated that 50-70 percent of the European adult population have insufficient levels of vitamin D.
1 A Global Representation of Vitamin D status in healthy populations, Wahl et al. Archives of Osteoporosis, August 2012
2 Understood as mean 25 (OH)D values below 50 nmol/l
3 A pooled analysis of vitamin D dose requirements for fracture prevention. Bischoff-Ferrari HA et al New England Journal of Medicine. 2012.
4 Blood levels below 50 nmol/l considered as insufficient
In the U.S., approximately 30 percent of the study population had sub-optimal vitamin D levels, rising to around 70 percent among participants with darker skin color, highlighting skin color as a risk factor for vitamin D insufficiency. Overall the U.S. vitamin D status was significantly higher compared to other regions, which may in part, be attributable to the routine fortification of foods with vitamin D (such as milk, juice and cereals).
The map has also created a very clear picture as to where the vitamin D insufficiency knowledge gaps exist and where further research is required. Dr. Eggersdorfer added, ¡§There is far too little data available, for example, in relation to adolescents and young people, and across the developing world in general. These maps are an important starting point, but it is essential that research continues to better understand the scale of vitamin D insufficiency.¡¨
DSM joins IOF in calling on healthcare policymakers to raise awareness of vitamin D insufficiency and to take action to ensure intake of recommended vitamin D levels, including through safe and effective measures such as food fortification, access to proper supplements and better consumer education.
Additional country findings include:
„h In Germany 57 percent of men and 58 percent of women had vitamin D status below recommended levels, rising to 75 percent among 65-79 year olds
„h U.K. studies focused on older people reveal that nearly two thirds of women (57 percent), and half of men (49 percent) are not getting enough vitamin D
„h In the Netherlands, around half of all study participants had sub-optimal vitamin D levels
„h The Middle East revealed lower vitamin D status compared to Europe which could result from cultural factors such as clothing and lifestyle
„h Asia showed a widespread insufficient vitamin D status across different countries, with a few exceptions (vitamin D status was ranked desirable in Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam)
„h Most regions offer some data, however no information was available for Central America, South America (except Brazil) and much of Africa
„h The most striking data gaps were found in children and adolescents
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