Ann Pediatr Endocrinol Metab.  2014 Jun;19(2):86-90. 10.6065/apem.2014.19.2.86.

Vitamin D deficiency in Korean children: prevalence, risk factors, and the relationship with parathyroid hormone levels

• Chung IH
• Kim HJ
• Chung S
• Yoo EG

• KMID: 1803859
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.6065/apem.2014.19.2.86

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was performed to investigate the relationship between serum vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels as well as to describe the prevalence and the risk factors of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in Korean children.
METHODS
Participants were 1,212 children aged 4 to 15 years, who visited Bundang CHA Medical Center (located at 37degreesN) between March 2012 and February 2013. Overweight was defined as body mass index> or =85th percentile. Participants were divided into 4 age groups and 2 seasonal groups. VDD was defined by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) <20 ng/mL.
RESULTS
The level of 25OHD was significantly lower in overweight group than in normal weight group (17.1+/-5.1 ng/mL vs. 19.1+/-6.1 ng/mL, P<0.001). Winter-spring season (odds ratio [OR], 4.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.45-5.77), older age group (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.36-1.88), and overweight (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.62-3.01) were independently related with VDD. The PTH levels were significantly higher in VDD group compared to vitamin D insufficiency and sufficiency group (P<0.001). In normal weight children, 25OHD (beta=-0.007, P<0.001) and ionized calcium (beta=-0.594, P=0.007) were independently related with PTH, however, these associations were not significant in overweight children.
CONCLUSION
VDD is very common in Korean children and its prevalence increases in winter-spring season, in overweight children and in older age groups. Further investigation on the vitamin D and PTH metabolism according to adiposity is required.

Keyword

Vitamin D; Parathyroid hormone; Body mass index; Calcium

MeSH Terms

Adiposity
Body Mass Index
Calcium
Child*
Humans
Metabolism
Overweight
Parathyroid Hormone*
Prevalence*
Risk Factors*
Seasons
Vitamin D
Vitamin D Deficiency*
Calcium
Parathyroid Hormone
Vitamin D

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in normal weight vs. overweight children according to season (A) and age groups (B), and the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in summer-fall and winter-spring season according to age groups (C). *P<0.05.

• 

  Fig. 2 Mean PTH levels in normal weight (A) and overweight (B) children according to vitamin D status. PTH, parathyroid hormone; Deficiency, 25OHD, <20 ng/mL; Insufficiency, 25OHD, 20-29.9 ng/mL; Sufficiency, 25OHD, ≥30 ng/mL. *P<0.05.

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