Vitamin D Status of Florida College Students

FASEB (Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology) Journal Vol 24 April 2010 537.1
Wendy J Dahl1, Bobbi Langkamp-Henken1, Lauren Foster1, Jamie Stolarz1 and Susan J Whiting2
1 Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
2 College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Vitamin D insufficiency is common in the US. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between serum 25(OH)D levels of University of Florida students (18–30 y) and their dietary intake of vitamin D, skin color, tanning, race, BMI and body composition. Methods included vitamin D food frequency, sun exposure and demographic questionnaires, colorimetry for skin color and tanning determination and Bioelectric Impedance Analysis. 133 students (99F; 34M)(20.9±1.7 y) participated in the study in January 2009. Serum 25(OH)D (mean 62.5±20.3 nmol/L) was associated with skin color (p<0.001), but not with intake, tanning, sun exposure, race, BMI or % body fat. Inadequacy (<80 nmol/L) was found in 68% of students. In conclusion, our results show that skin color is the prime determinant of vitamin D inadequacy in college students in Florida.