Sun exposure, skin color and vitamin D status in Arab children and adults

مقال فى مجلة

2016

تم النشر فى: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27182012/

Alfawaz, Nasser M Al-Daghri 1, Yousef Al-Saleh 2, Nasiruddin Khan 3, Shaun Sabico 3, Naji Aljohani 4, Hanan . 2016

 

Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggests an increased prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the Middle East and North African countries. Sunlight has long been recognized as a major provider of vitamin D and lighter skin color has been associated with better vitamin D status. In this context, we aimed to determine whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D[25-(OH)D] concentrations are related to skin color, sun exposure and gender among healthy Saudi children and adults. A total of 808 Saudi children (age=14.6±0.04years) and 561 (age=31.4±0.3years) adults of both genders were included in this study. Levels of sun exposure and skin color were determined using a standard questionnaire. Anthropometry and plasma 25-(OH)D concentrations were analyzed. On the basis of duration of sun exposure (<20min vs. >20min), a significantly lower concentration of 25-(OH)D (40.9±1.2 vs. 35.5±1.8nmol/l; p<0.019) was demonstrated in dark-skinned boys with exposure time less than 20min than those exposed longer than 20min. We were unable to show an effect of sunlight exposure or skin color on vitamin D status of children or adults, except in dark-skinned boys who had lower 25(OH)D concentrations associated with limited sun exposure.

Keywords: Gender; Saudi Arabia; Skin color; Sun exposure; Vitamin D.

• نوع عمل المنشور: PHD
• رقم المجلد: 164
• رقم الانشاء: 1
• مجلة/صحيفة: J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol
• الصفحات: 235-238