European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume 62, Issue 5, 2008, Pages 625-634

Pakistani immigrant children and adults in Denmark have severely low vitamin D status (Article)

Andersen R.* , Mølgaard C. , Skovgaard L.T. , Brot C. , Cashman K.D. , Jakobsen J. , Lamberg-Allardt C. , Ovesen L.
  • a Department of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Søborg, Denmark
  • b Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
  • c Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • d Department of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Søborg, Denmark
  • e Department of Food Science and Technology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
  • f Department of Chemistry, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Søborg, Denmark
  • g Division of Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
  • h Department of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Søborg, Denmark

Abstract

Objective: To determine vitamin D and bone status in adolescent girls, pre-menopausal women and men of Pakistani origin, to single out determinants of vitamin D status and to determine the association between vitamin D status, bone metabolism and bone status. Subjects/Methods: Cross-sectional study, Copenhagen (55°N), January-November. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (S-25OHD), serum intact parathyroid hormone (S-iPTH), bone turnover markers and whole body and lumbar spine bone mineral density were measured. Sun, smoking and clothing habits, age, body mass index (BMI), and vitamin D and calcium from food and from supplements were recorded. Thirty-seven girls (median age, range: 12.2 years, 10.1-14.7), 115 women (36.2 years, 18.1-52.7) and 95 men (38.3 years, 17.9-63.5) of Pakistani origin (immigrants or descendants with Pakistani parents) took part in the study. Results: Median concentration of S-25OHD was 10.9, 12.0 and 20.7nmol/l for girls, women and men, respectively. Forty-seven per cent of the girls, 37% of the women and 24% of the men had elevated S-iPTH, and there was a negative relationship between S-iPTH and S-25OHD. Use of vitamin D-containing supplements had a positive association with S-25OHD for men (P=0.04) and women (P=0.0008). Twenty-one per cent of the women and 34% of the men had osteopenia. Neither S-25OHD nor S-iPTH was associated with lumbar spine or whole body bone mineral content. Conclusions: Severely low vitamin D status and elevated S-iPTH is common among Pakistani immigrants in Denmark. The low vitamin D status is not associated with bone markers or bone mass among relatively young Pakistanis.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Pakistan immigrant bone turnover sun sex ratio human middle aged Denmark Vitamin D Dietary Supplements Bone Density Conservation Agents Cigarette Smoking controlled study groups by age Calcium Cross-Sectional Studies premenopause school child parathyroid hormone cross-sectional study smoking Adolescent Calcium, Dietary male 25 hydroxyvitamin D Humans female osteopenia bone metabolism bone mass vitamin D deficiency Article major clinical study adult Bone Density bone mineral diet supplementation skin pigmentation disease severity lumbar spine body mass sunlight nutritional status Bone and Bones parathyroid hormone blood level Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-43449091615&doi=10.1038%2fsj.ejcn.1602753&partnerID=40&md5=e0f41ab0230f30939326db90d602af38
DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602753
ISSN: 09543007
Cited by: 65
Original Language: English