Determinants of Vitamin D Deficiency: A Comprehensive Analysis of Demographic and Health Characteristics

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a prevalent global health concern with significant implications for various chronic conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain cancers. It also plays a crucial role in immune function. This study aims to investigate the determinants of vitamin D deficiency, focusing on demographic and health characteristics such as sex, BMI, socio-economic status, duration of asthma, occupation, and smoking history.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Imran Idrees Teaching Hospital, Sialkot, from November 2023 to May 2024. The study included 250 adults aged 18-65 years with documented vitamin D levels. Participants were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and provided informed consent. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics, and chi-square tests assessed associations between vitamin D status and various variables, with significance set at p<0.05.

Results: The study sample consisted of 250 participants (77.6% male, 22.4% female). Vitamin D deficiency was observed in 148 participants (59.2%). Significant associations were found between vitamin D deficiency and smoking history (p=0.023), but not with sex (p=0.963), BMI (p=0.486), socio-economic status (p=0.088), duration of asthma (p=0.908), or occupation (p=0.559). Among smokers, 66.1% were deficient in vitamin D compared to 52.0% of non-smokers.

Conclusions: This study identifies smoking as a significant determinant of vitamin D deficiency. Other factors such as sex, BMI, socio-economic status, duration of asthma, and occupation did not show significant associations. Targeted public health interventions are needed to address vitamin D deficiency, particularly among smokers, to improve overall health outcomes.