Age and Ageing Advance Access originally published online on July 25, 2005
Age and Ageing 2005 34(5):485-491; doi:10.1093/ageing/afi153
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Research Paper |
Vitamin D concentrations among people aged 65 years and over living in private households and institutions in England: population survey
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Royal Free and University College London Medical School, University College London, 1–19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, UK
Address correspondence to: V. Hirani. Fax: (+44) 207 813 0280. Email: v.hirani{at}ucl.ac.uk
Abstract
Background: vitamin D deficiency among older people results in poor bone and muscle health and an increased risk of fractures. In the UK, government initiatives and the launch of the Osteoporosis Strategy have been in place since 1998, highlighting the importance of adequate levels of vitamin D for its prevention. The aim of this analysis is to assess vitamin D status and examine associations of deficiency with risk factors among older people in England.
Methods: a valid vitamin D sample was obtained from 1,766 informants as part of the Health Survey for England (HSE) 2000, a nationally representative survey of people aged 65 and over living in institutions and private households in England.
Results: among both men and women in institutions, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was higher and mean serum vitamin D levels were significantly lower than among those in private households. Regression analyses showed that women were more likely to be vitamin D deficient than men (odds ratio (OR) 2.1) and deficiency was associated with limiting longstanding illness (OR 3.57), manual social classes (OR 2.4), poor general health (OR 1.92) and body mass index <25kg/m2 (OR 2.02), and was 67% more likely among informants in the winter/autumn. Overall, the results show no significant improvements in vitamin D status in comparison to earlier National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) results.
Conclusion: vitamin D deficiency exists at worrying levels among those aged 65 years and over. Further action is needed to alert health professionals about the risks related to vitamin D deficiency and extend the provision of prevention and treatment programmes targeted to those in need.
Keywords: vitamin D deficiency, older people, England, population survey
Received March 18, 2005; accepted in revised form June 15, 2005.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  F. Birrell and R. M. Francis Invited Commentary: Physical Activity and Vitamin D Am. J. Epidemiol., June 18, 2008; (2008) kwn161v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. A. Mucci and D. Spiegelman Vitamin D and Prostate Cancer Risk--A Less Sunny Outlook? J Natl Cancer Inst, June 4, 2008; 100(11): 759 - 761. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. J. Aspray and R. M. Francis Vitamin D deficiency can old age learn from childhood? Age Ageing, January 1, 2008; 37(1): 6 - 7. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. M. Francis The Vitamin D Paradox Rheumatology, December 1, 2007; 46(12): 1749 - 1750. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Avenell, J. A. Cook, G. S. MacLennan, and G. C. MacPherson Vitamin D supplementation to prevent infections: a sub-study of a randomised placebo-controlled trial in older people (RECORD trial, ISRCTN 51647438) Age Ageing, September 1, 2007; 36(5): 574 - 577. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. Hypponen and C. Power Hypovitaminosis D in British adults at age 45 y: nationwide cohort study of dietary and lifestyle predictors Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2007; 85(3): 860 - 868. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R.M. Francis, F.H. Anderson, S. Patel, O. Sahota, and T.P. van Staa Calcium and vitamin D in the prevention of osteoporotic fractures QJM, June 1, 2006; 99(6): 355 - 363. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Primary vitamin D deficiency in adults DTB, April 1, 2006; 44(4): 25 - 29. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|