Vitamin D status is associated with sociodemographic factors, lifestyle and metabolic health
European Journal of Nutrition, 05/01/2012
Clinical Article
Jaaskelainen T et al. – This study suggests that serum 25(OH)D concentration is associated with a multitude of sociodemographic, lifestyle and metabolic health factors. Thus, it is possible that such factors confound associations observed between serum 25(OH)D concentration and chronic diseases.
Methods- The study population comprised 5,714 men and women, aged 30–79 years, from the Health 2000 Survey representing the Finnish population.
- Serum 25(OH)D concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay from serum samples frozen at –70 °C.
- Sociodemographic, lifestyle and metabolic factors were determined by questionnaires, interviews and measurements.
- Linear regression was used to assess the associations between serum 25(OH)D and the factors studied.
- The mean serum 25(OH)D concentration was 45.3 nmol/l and it varied between categories of sociodemographic, lifestyle and metabolic health variables.
- Older age, being married or cohabiting and higher education were related to higher serum 25(OH)D concentration.
- Those with the healthiest lifestyle estimated by a lifestyle index based on body mass index, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and diet had 15.8 nmol/l higher serum 25(OH)D concentration compared to those with the unhealthiest lifestyle.
- Of the indicators of metabolic health, only waist circumference and HDL cholesterol were significantly associated with 25(OH)D after adjustment for sociodemographic, lifestyle and other metabolic health factors.
