Prevalence and selected predictors of vitamin D deficiency among children and adolescents attending primary health care centers: A cross-sectional record-based study, Qatar.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is increasingly recognized as a significant public health issue, with far-reaching effects on bone health and overall well-being, especially among children and adolescents.Aim/Objectives: This cross-sectional, record-based study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of vitamin D deficiency in individuals under 18 years old who attended Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) centers in Qatar between 2018 and 2019.Methodology: Data were extracted from 48,947 electronic medical records, each containing at least one valid serum vitamin D test result. Severe deficiency was defined as serum vitamin D levels <10 ng/ml. Participants undergoing vitamin D therapy were excluded from the prevalence analysis.

RESULTS: Findings revealed that infants (under 1 year) and children aged 1-4 years had the lowest rates of severe deficiency at 3.8% and 3.4% respectively. The prevalence increased with age, reaching 40% among adolescents (10-17 years). Females had significantly higher rates of severe deficiency (30.4%) compared to males (15.3%).Multivariate logistic regression identified age, sex, and nationality as significant predictors. Adolescents were 17 times more likely to have a severe deficiency compared to children under 5 years. Females had a 2.4-fold increased risk, and individuals from Southern Asia had a 5.7-fold higher risk compared to other nationalities.

CONCLUSION: This study highlights a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among adolescents in Qatar, particularly among females and certain ethnic groups. To address this emerging health issue in the pediatric population, targeted interventions, such as awareness campaigns, supplementation programs, and policy-level strategies, are essential.