Vitamin D Deficiency Among Afghan Adolescents in Kabul.

Objective: To determine vitamin D deficiency (25-OH-D level <20 ng/ml) frequency among apparently healthy Afghan adolescents.

Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Pathology Department, French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (FMIC) Kabul, from June to Sep 2016.

Methodology: Adolescents who reported for analysis of vitamin D level in their sera were included. Age, gender, duration of sun exposure, area of exposed skin, types of living and eating lifestyles were documented. Vitamin D levels were measured by chemiluminescence method, using immunoassay autoanalysers. The participants were divided into five categories according to their serum vitamin D levels as sufficiency: >30-100 ng/ml; insufficiency: >20-29 ng/ml; deficiency: <20 ng/ml; severe deficiency: <10 ng/ml; and intoxication: >150 ng/ml. Participants who had vitamin D intoxication were excluded from the study.

Results: Out of 308 cases for final analysis, 202 (65.6%) were females and 106 (34.4%) were males. Of all, 238 (77.3%) had a low level of vitamin D in their sera, whereas 70 (22.7%) had vitamin D sufficiency. Among those having hypovitaminosis D, 107 (45%) had severe deficiency, 81 (34%) had deficiency and 50 (21%) had vitamin D insufficiency. More pronounced lower levels were observed in females. Exposure to sun, use of a sun protector, vitamin D supplements, and vitamin D rich food intake, type of living, skin colour, and BMI of participants were seen as important factors linked to vitamin D levels.

Conclusion: Hypovitaminosis D is prevailing among Afghan adolescents, more pronounced in girls. Wearing of traditional clothes, duration of sunlight, type of living and inadequate consumption of vitamin D rich foods are significant determinants of hypovitaminosis D.