Vitamin D deficiency among children aged 10-18 years in Sri Lanka

Background: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and insufficiency (VDI) are public health problems in many countries, and limited data is available on the prevalence of VDD/VDI in Sri Lanka. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and associated factors of VDD in children aged 10- 18 years. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among school children aged 10-18 years at national level. A representative sample of 2525 children were recruited from July to November 2017. Serum 25(OH)D concentration and the patterns of vitamin D rich foods consumption were assessed. VDD and VDI cut offs were set at serum 25(OH)D concentrations of <12 ng/mL and 12-20 ng/mL, respectively as defined by global consensus in 2016. Results: The mean serum 25(OH)D level was 19.3±7.4 ng/mL. The prevalence of VDD and VDI were 13.2% (95%CI: 11.9%-14.5%) and 45.6% (95%CI: 43.7%-47.5%), respectively. The prevalence of VDD was highest in the central province (32.2%) and highest prevalence of VDI was in the Inabaragamuwa province (58.9%). VDD and VDI were lowest in North Central province (0.7% and 34.7%, respectively). Significantly higher serum 25(OH)D levels were observed with male gender (p=0.000), BMI for age <-2SD (p=0.000), daily milk consumption (p=0.000) and residing in dry zone (p=0.000). Conclusions: Though Sri Lanka is a tropical country, VDD is prevalent among school children aged 10-18 years. It is important to develop a VDD preventive strategy, especially for high risk groups