(P30-025-25) Vitamin D Nutritional Status in Middle East Region: A Meta Analysis

Objectives: Adequate vitamin D status is crucial for health, especially for skeletal health. The prevention of vitamin D deficiency disorders represents a major public health concern. Several studies conducted in the Middle East region have reported surprisingly high vitamin D deficiency prevalences, despite high sunlight availability and considered adapting dietary and lifestyle recommendations, as well as fortification policies. The present study aimed at getting a clearer picture of the vitamin D nutritional status in the Middle East region using a meta-analysis approach.

Methods: This meta-analysis included 44 studies evaluating serum vitamin D levels in healthy Middle Eastern adult populations, using pooled analyses and meta-regressions to assess the overall levels, the differences between men and women, and the impact of covariates such as age and BMI. Both raw and imputed data were analyzed to allow the inclusion of the maximum number of studies in the different analyses.

Results: The results presented show significant disparities in vitamin D status between different countries in the Middle East region. The meta-analysis found an overall mean serum vitamin D concentration of 45.65 nmol/L (below the recommended cut-off of 50 nmol/L), with a 3.92 nmol/L higher level in men compared to women, and no significant impact of age or BMI on these parameters.

Conclusions: This meta-analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of vitamin D status in Middle Eastern populations, highlighting the widespread vitamin D deficiency in the region, with potential gender differences, but no clear impact of age or BMI findings that can inform targeted public health strategies to improve vitamin D nutrition in this part of the world.

Funding Sources: Lesaffre International