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Clinical Chemistry 54: 1283-1289, 2008. First published June 12, 2008; 10.1373/clinchem.2008.104158
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Right arrow Endocrinology and Metabolism
(Clinical Chemistry. 2008;54:1283-1289.)
© 2008 American Association for Clinical Chemistry, Inc.

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Low Vitamin D Status in a Representative Sample of Youth From Québec, Canada

Sean Mark1, Katherine Gray-Donald1,2, Edgard E. Delvin3, Jennifer O'Loughlin4, Gilles Paradis2, Emile Levy5 and Marie Lambert6,a

1 Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montréal;2 Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal;3 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, CHU Sainte.-Justine and Université de Montréal, Montréal;4 Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal;5 Department of Nutrition, CHU Sainte.-Justine and Université de Montréal, Montréal;6 Department of Pediatrics, CHU Sainte.-Justine and Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.

aAddress correspondence to this author at: Medical Genetics Service, CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3T 1C5. Fax 514-345-4766; e-mail marie.lambert{at}umontreal.ca.

Background: Adequate vitamin D status is important for bone growth and mineralization and has been implicated in the regulation of autoimmunity, metabolic function, and cancer prevention. There are no reports of population-based studies on the vitamin D status of Canadian youth, a population with mandatory fortification of foods.

Methods: We measured plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], the best indicator of vitamin D status, in a school-based cross-sectional sample of representative French Canadian youth (n = 1753) ages 9, 13, and 16 years living in Québec (latitude: 45°–48°N). Blood samples were collected from January to May 1999. We defined 25(OH)D deficiency as ≤27.5 nmol/L, hypovitaminosis as ≤37.5 nmol/L, and optimal as >75.0 nmol/L.

Results: More than 93% of youth in each age and sex group had suboptimal 25(OH)D concentrations. The prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency increased with age in both sexes (P < 0.0001). It was 2%, 3%, and 13% in 9-, 13-, and 16-year-old boys and 2%, 8%, and 10% in 9-, 13-, and 16-year-old girls. Girls with higher body mass index and girls from households with lower income had lower 25(OH)D concentrations. These effects were not observed in boys.

Conclusions: Inadequate vitamin D status is a potentially serious public health problem among children and adolescents in Québec. Youth living at high latitudes in countries with and without mandatory fortification of vitamin D are likely at heightened risk of 25(OH)D deficiency. These results call for renewed efforts to ensure adequate vitamin D intake among growing children and adolescents.






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