BMC Public Health
Volume 19, Issue 1, 2019

Serum vitamin D levels in Berliners of Turkish descent -a cross-sectional study 11 Medical and Health Sciences 1117 Public Health and Health Services (Article) (Open Access)

Krist L.* , Keller T. , Becher H. , Jöckel K.-H. , Schlaud M. , Willich S.N. , Keil T.
  • a Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstr. 57, Berlin, 10117, Germany
  • b Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstr. 57, Berlin, 10117, Germany
  • c Institute for Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
  • d Institute for Medical Informatics Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
  • e Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch-Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany
  • f Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstr. 57, Berlin, 10117, Germany
  • g Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstr. 57, Berlin, 10117, Germany

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D levels may differ between migrant and non-migrant populations, especially among non-western immigrants living in a country with limited sun exposure such as Germany. This study examined serum vitamin D concentration and associated factors among Berliners with and without Turkish background. Methods: Two samples (with and without Turkish roots) were recruited in the inner city of Berlin for a cross-sectional study assessing serum vitamin D concentration. Linear regression analyses were used to examine sociodemographic, lifestyle and medical factors associated with serum vitamin D levels. Results: In the analyses, we included 537 subjects (39% men and 61% women, age 43.2 ± 12.5 (mean ± standard deviation) years) with and 112 without Turkish background (46% men and 54% women, age 46.7 ± 14.6 years). The Turkish sample had lower mean (95%-Confidence Interval) vitamin D levels than the non-Turkish sample: 22.7 nmol/L (21.5;23.9) vs 34.7 nmol/L (31.9;37.5), p < 0.001. In the Turkish female subgroup, veiled women had considerably lower levels than unveiled women: 14.4 nmol/L (11.5;17.3) vs 24.9 nmol/L (23.1;26.7), p < 0.001. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that among the Berliners of Turkish descent, being active less than 150 min per day, and being overweight/obese were independently associated with a lower vitamin D concentration. In the non-migrant sample besides being overweight and obese, female sex was associated with lower vitamin D concentrations. Conclusions: Serum vitamin D levels were considerably low in Berliners of Turkish descent, and especially in veiled women. Potentially modifiable factors of low vitamin D levels were high BMI and low physical activity. These findings should be considered in the development of future public health strategies for subpopulations with Turkish migration background. © 2019 The Author(s).

Author Keywords

Vitamin D Migrants Germany Vitamin D deficiency Public health Turkish

Index Keywords

Germany human middle aged statistics and numerical data Vitamin D ethnology Cross-Sectional Studies cross-sectional study migrant Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants female risk factor Risk Factors vitamin D deficiency blood adult migration Turkey turkey (bird) Transients and Migrants Berlin
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85060603696&doi=10.1186%2fs12889-019-6446-5&partnerID=40&md5=02542eafcc12daa55d2e327e9c5f53bf
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-6446-5
ISSN: 14712458
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English