Study of Vitamin D deficiency and contributing factors in the population of Hyderabad, Pakistan.

The study of vitamin D (25-OHD) deficiency was intended to analyse the incidence and some contributing factors amid healthy individuals of different living standards in general population of Hyderabad and its adjacent areas. A total of 1244 healthy individuals (1-84 year of age) (females 725 (58.2%) and males 519 (41.8%)) were selected in this study and the concentration of Serum vitamin D (25-OHD), phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and calcium was analysed. The prevalence of vitamin D (25-OHD) deficiency was 78.3%. The values <10ng/mL were noted as severe deficiency, 10-20ng/ml moderate and 21-29.9ng/ml as mild deficiency or insufficiency. The degrees of vitamin D (25-OHD) deficiency amongst the healthy individuals were severe (17.2%), mild (18.8%) and moderate (42.3%). Vitamin D (25-OHD) was positively correlated with blood calcium profile whereas alkaline phosphatase and phosphorus correlated negatively. The study showed that vitamin D (25-OHD) deficiency has a high prevalence in healthy subjects.