Researchers have introduced an affordable, non-invasive tool to evaluate the risk of vitamin D deficiency among young women, named ViDDPreS (Vitamin D Deficiency Predicting Scoring).
Vitamin D is a vital nutrient that is primarily generated through exposure to sunlight and is also found in some foods. However, strict measures to prevent sunburn are contributing to a significant rise in vitamin D deficiency, particularly among young women in Japan.
Identifying individuals at high risk for vitamin D deficiency is crucial since this deficiency is linked to complications such as pregnancy-induced hypertension and low birth weight in infants. Nonetheless, the current standard for measuring serum vitamin D levels is both expensive and invasive, highlighting the necessity for easier risk assessment methods.
Consequently, a research team led by Professor Akiko Kuwabara at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology carried out a cross-sectional study involving 583 Japanese women aged 18 to 40 who were associated with a nutrition-focused university. The study collected data on various factors including age, living area, timing of blood sample collection, medical history, medication use, smoking and drinking habits, exercise frequency, sun exposure, fish consumption, and vitamin D supplementation.
The dietary intake was analyzed through a self-administered dietary history questionnaire (DHQ), and the average and cumulative dose of ultraviolet exposure over the 30 days leading up to blood collection was measured for each region. This enabled the team to create a non-invasive, low-cost tool called ViDDPreS, which assesses the risk of vitamin D deficiency in young women.
Professor Kuwabara remarked, “The ViDDPreS created in this study can effectively identify groups that require intervention at a minimal cost while also evaluating the factors contributing to vitamin D deficiency. Furthermore, the administration of vitamin D supplements may positively impact those lacking this essential nutrient, and it is anticipated that ViDDPreS will facilitate the appropriate use of these supplements.”
The research results were published in Public Health Nutrition.
