Evaluation of the change of vitamin D deficiency by age, gender, season, and years: a report from west of Turkey
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Aim: In our study, we aimed to determine the frequency of vitamin D deficiency by examining vitamin D levels in children, adults, and geriatric groups and to examine vitamin D levels according to gender, months, seasons, and years.Methods: The study included 150,068 patients who applied to Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University University Training and Research Hospital polyclinics between April 2016 and December 2020.Only the initial results of patients whose 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D levels were measured more than once were evaluated.Four groups were formed as 0-4 years, 5-17 years old, adults (18-65 years old) and over 65 years old and were evaluated separately.Results: Considering all age groups, vitamin D deficiency decreased to a minimum level of 3.5% in September and increased to 22.2% in February.When the summer months are compared with winter months for all age groups, an average of 23% decrease in vitamin D deficiency is observed.In the 0-4 age group, vitamin D deficiency was found to be 1.5% in men, 3% in women, and vitamin D insufficiency was 18% in men and 17.8% in women.In the children (5-17 years old) group, vitamin D deficiency was found to be 38.8% in men and 58.5% in women.In the age group over 65, vitamin D deficiency was found to be 15.3% in men, 20.8% in women, and vitamin D deficiency was 34.9% in men and 29.4% in women.Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is an important problem that needs to be addressed.This situation is not only a public health problem, but also a pandemic situation.In order to improve the increasing prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, it is important to adopt this situation as an important public problem through health policies to be implemented by national-international institutions, to increase UVB exposure, vitamin D use and public interest.
DOI: 10.4328/acam.21421
Authors: Süheyl Uçucu, Talha Karabıyık, Tarkan Yazıcı
Institutions: Muğla University, Bursa City Hospital
Language: English
Topic: Vitamin D Research Studies
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7127068186