Vitamin D status among adolescents in Europe: the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence study.
J Nutr. 2011 Aug 17:1-10.
González-Gross M, Valtueña J, Breidenassel C, Moreno LA, Ferrari M, Kersting M, De Henauw S, Gottrand F, Azzini E, Widhalm K, Kafatos A, Manios Y, Stehle P.
Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (INEF), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Martín Fierro, 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Statistics summary by Vitamin D Life

• 39% Insufficient: 20 – 30 ng (nanograms/ml)
• 27% Deficient: 11 – 20 ng
• 80% Sub-optimal < 30 ng
• 5% < 9.2 ng
• 5% > 40 ng
• Median 23 ng

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An adequate vitamin D status is essential during childhood and adolescence, for its important role in cell growth, skeletal structure and development. It also reduces the risk of conditions such as CVD, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, infections and autoimmune disease.

As comparable data on the European level are lacking, assessment of vitamin D concentrations was included in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study. Fasting blood samples were obtained from a subsample of 1006 adolescents (470 males; 46·8 %) with an age range of 12·5-17·5 years, selected in the ten HELENA cities in the nine European countries participating in this cross-sectional study, and analysed for 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D) by ELISA using EDTA plasma. As specific reference values for adolescents are missing, percentile distribution were computed by age and sex.

Median 25(OH)D levels for the whole population were 57·1 nmol/l (5th percentile 24·3 nmol/l, 95th percentile 99·05 nmol/l).

Vitamin D status was classified into four groups according to international guidelines (sufficiency/optimal levels ? 75 nmol/l; insufficiency 50-75 nmol/l; deficiency 27·5-49·99 nmol/l and severe deficiency < 27·5 nmol/l). About 80 % of the sample had suboptimal levels (39 % had insufficient, 27 % deficient and 15 % severely deficient levels).

Vitamin D concentrations

• increased with age (P < 0·01) and
• tended to decrease according to BMI.

Geographical differences were also identified.
Our study results indicate that vitamin D deficiency is a highly prevalent condition in European adolescents and should be a matter of concern for public health authorities.

PMID: 21846429
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See also Vitamin D Life

• Overview Deficiency of vitamin D
• All items: Deficiency of Vitamin D 363 items
• Vitamin D insufficiency in UK youths – 37X more likely if dark skin – July 2011
• All items in category Europe 208 items
• Vitamin D in the UK = Vitamin D Association
• UK elderly need vitamin D – 86 % less than 30 ng - Jan 2010
• Scotland and Vitamin D
• UK survey of vitamin D knowledge of midwives - 2011
• 70 % of Koreans in their twenties had less than 20ng of vitamin D – Dec 2010
• 90 % of Canadian youth less than 30 ng vitamin D – Oct 2010
• Low D in developing countries – less than 5 ng in some children in China – Oct 2010
• 79 % of middle aged Americans had less than 32 ng of vitamin D – July 2010
• Teens increasingly indoors - especially if dark skin - July 2010
• 87 % of Tennessee general medicine patients had less than 32 ng of vitamin D – Jan 2011
• 2000 IU daily dose of vitamin D would save Germany 37 billion euros – Aug 2010
• Vitamin D should Improve mortality in Nordic Countries – Feb 2011 Grant
• Recommend 2500-4000 IU per day to reduce all-cause mortality by 18%– Grant Netherlands April 2010
• Vitamin D could save More than 10,000 Canadian lives annually LEF
• Only 18 % of Swedes got recommended amount of vitamin D – Feb 2011
• 70 % of Koreans in their twenties had less than 20ng of vitamin D – Dec 2010
• 30 % of US had less than 20 ng of vitamin D - CDC March 2011
• 42 % of US adults less than 20 ng of vitamin D and 82 % of blacks – Jan 2011
• 50 % of Quebec kids had less than 20 ng of vitamin D – Milk and movement did not help – Mar 2011
• Doubling of people less than 30 ng of vitamin D - 75% of whites and 90% of blacks – Feb 2010
• WHO to map vitamin D deficiency in Europe - Oct 2010
• Hypovitaminosis D in developing countries—prevalence, risk factors ... PDF
• Save 160 lives annually if Netherlands have 42 ng vitamin D PDF
• Economic burden of premature deaths due to vitamin D de?ciency in Canada PDF
• US Mortality and vitamin D Grant 2009 PDF
• Teens with higher levels of vitamin D were more fit in some ways– May 2013 another HELENA report