DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2021.v09i08.006

Pages: 1270-1273

Objective: In this study our main goal is to evaluate the risk factors associated with vitamin D deficiency in Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Method: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Dhaka Medical College Hospital from January 2018 to Jun 2019. A total of 100 patients attending at OPD of various specialties with symptoms unrelated to gross vitamin D deficiency were included in the study. Results: During the study, majority of the cases were belonging to >24 years age group and 60% were female. 50% were service holder followed by 50% cases spent 3-6 hours in outdoor, 50% cases covered their body 60–80%.45% had vitamin D insufficient level and 33% had vitamin D deficiency level. Individuals who had a serum deficiency of 25-OHD had significantly lower calcium levels (9.25 ± 0.49, p ¼ 0.02), and those with insufficiency had significantly higher hemoglobin (14.3 [13.2e15.2] p < 0.001). There was a strong correlation found between gender; 0.03, educational level; 0.02 and number of hours spent outdoors; 0.01 with Vitamin D deficiencies. Conclusion: From our study we can say that, factors like, less outdoor activities, obesity or covering whole body, which could be responsible for more hypovitaminosis in case of female was not noticed. But it was very much clear that >24 years age group was the most vulnerable with highest level of hypovitaminosis-D. Some of these strategies include designing and implementing national programs for preventing and combating vitamin D deficiency, promoting healthy lifestyles and physical activity among the general public, as well as using vitamin supplements as a simple and cost-effective method.