New tool to assess the risk of vitamin D deficiency in young women

Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is becoming a significant issue, particularly among young women in Japan, due to increased sunburn prevention practices. While vitamin D is naturally produced through sun exposure and found in certain foods, these preventive measures limit sun exposure, leading to widespread deficiency. VDD can cause various health problems, especially during pregnancy and childbirth.

A study by Professor Akiko Kuwabara at Osaka Metropolitan University explored the risk factors for vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in young Japanese women. The study surveyed 583 women aged 18 to 40 from a university specializing in nutrition.

Researchers collected data on various factors, including age, residential area, blood collection timing, medical history, medication use, smoking and drinking habits, exercise frequency, sun exposure habits, fish intake, and vitamin D supplement use.

The study used a self-administered dietary history questionnaire (DHQ) to assess participants’ diets. Additionally, the researchers calculated the average and cumulative ultraviolet (UV) irradiation dose for the 30 days before blood collection in each participant’s region. Based on the collected data, the team developed a simple risk-scoring system called Vitamin D Deficiency Predicting Scoring (ViDDPreS) to help predict the likelihood of vitamin D deficiency in individuals.

Professor Kuwabara said, “The ViDDPreS developed in this study can identify populations needing intervention at a low cost and estimate the factors of vitamin D deficiency. In addition, the use of vitamin D supplements is likely to benefit people deficient in this essential nutrient, so it is hoped that the use of ViDDPreS will lead to the appropriate use of supplements.”

Journal Reference:

1. Akiko Kuwabara, Eiji Nakatani et al. Development of a predictive scoring system for vitamin D deficiency ‘Vitamin D Deficiency Predicting Scoring (ViDDPreS)’ based on the vitamin D status in young Japanese women: a nationwide cross-sectional study. Public Health Nutrition. DOI: 10.1017/S1368980024001708