Vitamin D deficiency in Ukraine: A multicentre cross-sectional study.

Background: Available epidemiological data on vitamin D status in the Ukrainian population are limited.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Ukraine.

Methods: This multicentre cross-sectional study included a total of 11,462 participants: 1530 children with a median age 10 years, (IQR 6-14) and 56.21 % of them were female; 9932 adults with a median age of 36 years (IQR 26-48) and 78.72 % of them were female. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were measured once by chemiluminescent immunoassay (UniCel DxI 800 Access Immunoassay System, Beckman Coulter Inc., USA) in the period of January-December 2021 in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast. The cut-offs were: vitamin D deficiency, <50 nmol/L; moderate deficiency, 25-<50 nmol/L; severe deficiency, <25 nmol/L; vitamin D insufficiency, 50-<75 nmol/L; vitamin D sufficiency, 75-<250 nmol/L; optimal concentration, 75-<125 nmol/L; increased levels, 125-<250 nmol/L; and toxicity, ≥250 nmol/L.

Results: The median 25(OH)D level was 65.4 nmol/L (IQR 49.5-85.6) among all participants, severe vitamin D deficiency was recorded in 2.9 % of participants (95 % CI: 2.6-3.2), moderate deficiency in 23 % (95 % CI: 22-24), and vitamin D insufficiency in 37 % (95 % CI: 36-38).Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in group 1-17 years was 23.5 % (95 % CI: 21-26). We did not find vitamin D deficiency in children aged 1-2 years; however toxic levels were recorded in 4.2 % of the children in this age group (95 % CI: 1.4-9.6). Among the adults (≥18 years old), prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 26 % (95 % CI: 25-27).

Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are common in Ukraine.