Vitamin D Deficiency and Its Predictors in a Country with Thirteen Months of Sunshine: The Case of School Children in Central Ethiopia
Open accessAbstract
Studies examining vitamin D status among children living in sunny climates indicated that children did not receive adequate vitamin D, however, this has not been looked at among children living in Ethiopia. In this study, we determined vitamin D deficiency and its predictors among school children aged 11-18 years, examining circulating 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D]. The school-based cross-sectional study was conducted in schools in Adama Town (n = 89) and in rural Adama (n = 85) for a total sample of 174. Students were randomly selected using multi-stage stratified sampling method from both settings. Socioeconomic status of parents and demographic, anthropometric, sun exposure status and blood 25(OH)D levels were obtained. Vitamin D deficiency, defined as circulating levels of 25(OH)D <50 nmol/L, was found in 42% of the entire study participants. Prevalence of deficiency was significantly higher among students in urban setting compared to rural (61.8% vs 21.2%, respectively, p<0.001). After controlling for potential confounders using multivariable logistic regression model, duration of exposure to sunlight, amount of body part exposed to sunlight, place of residence, maternal education, body fatness, having TV/computer at home and socioeconomic status were significant predictors of vitamin D deficiency. The findings suggest that Vitamin D deficiency was prevalent in healthy school children living both in urban and rural areas of a country with abundant year round sunshine providing UVB, with the prevalence of deficiency being significantly higher among urban school children who were less exposed to sunlight. Behaviour change communication to enhance exposure to ultraviolet light is critical to prevent vitamin D deficiency in tropical country like Ethiopia. Further study is required to assess the deleterious effect of its deficiency on bone mineral homeostasis of growing children in Ethiopia during their most critical period of bone development.
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Evidence shows that both lower socioeconomic status and lower maternal education are associated with lower vitamin D status.
“On the other hand, evidence shows that both lower socioeconomic status and lower maternal education are associated with lower vitamin D status [101,102].”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [101]
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Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review
Mazahery, H., Camargo, C., Conlon, C., Beck, K., Kruger, M., & Von Hurst, P. (2016) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu8040236 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
- Authors
- Wakayo, T., Belachew, T., Vatanparast, H., & Whiting, S. J.
- Affiliations
- Jimma University (ET)
- University of Saskatchewan (CA)
- Venue
- PLOS ONE
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- Published
- 2015-03-30
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- e0120963
- ISSN
- 1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4387794
- OpenAlex
- W1993465584
- Cited by
- 81
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 6.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Vitamin D Research Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutrition and Health Studies
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Vitamin K Research Studies
- Keywords
- vitamin D deficiency, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, elementary school students, sun exposure, urban-rural differences, adiposity, maternal education, socioeconomic status, bone mineralization, Ethiopia
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Ethiopia, Female, Humans, Male, Nutritional Status, Rural Population, Sunlight, Vitamin D, Vitamin D Deficiency, Body Mass Index, Prevalence
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