Vitamin D and Related Parameters in Saudi Adults: a Cross-Sectional Study

Adil Omer; Omer Fadul Fadul; Eltayeb Ali

doi:10.53796/NSJ/52.3

المؤلفون

Adil Omer المؤلف
Omer Fadul Fadul المؤلف
Eltayeb Ali المؤلف

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53796/NSJ/52.3

الكلمات المفتاحية:

Vitamin D, Saudi Arabians, PTH, ALKP, Glucose, Magnesium, Cross-sectional study

الملخص

Background: Vitamin D deficiency remains paradoxically prevalent in sun-rich regions like Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study assessed serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH) D] levels and their association with biochemical and lifestyle parameters in a sample of the Saudi adult population. Methods: A total of 309 Saudi adults were enrolled, comprising 209 target participants (patients attending medical consultations) and a 100 apparently healthy adult individuals accompanying the patients who agreed to act as a control group. Serum vitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), alkaline phosphatase (ALKP), calcium, and magnesium were measured.

Results: Both groups (target patients and their apparently healthy companions) were found to be profoundly vitamin D-deficient: only 3.8% of patients and 5% of companions had vitamin D levels >30 ng/mL, the serum level taken as having vitamin D sufficiency. The overall prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (defined as 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL) was 84.8%. Males demonstrated a higher deficiency rate (88.5%) compared to females (78.4%). Biochemical analysis revealed strong inverse correlations between vitamin D and both PTH (r = -0.702, p < 0.001) and ALKP (r = -0.507, p < 0.001), with weak positive correlations observed for calcium (r = 0.102, p = 0.012) and magnesium (r = 0.091, p = 0.025).

Conclusion: This study confirms that vitamin D deficiency is a public health problem among Saudi adults, affecting 84.8% of the population sampled. —with males disproportionately impacted. The biochemical correlations suggest that vitamin D deficiency is probably associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism and increased bone turnover even in asymptomatic individuals. The findings re frame vitamin D deficiency from a simple nutritional deficit to a multifactorial condition requiring comprehensive, population-specific interventions—including targeted screening of high-risk males, lifestyle counseling, and appropriate public health policies.

السير الشخصية للمؤلفين

Adil Omer

The Medical Subspecialties Center, Jeddah, KSA
Omer Fadul Fadul

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Al Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan
Eltayeb Ali

Chemistry Department, College of Science and Humanities-Dawadmi, Shaqra University, Dawadmi, KSA

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