Serum vitamin D level in school going adolescent girls in urban and rural area

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Adequate vitamin D is necessary for optimum calcium metabolism and bone mineralization during adolescence. Adolescent girls attending school are at heightened risk of vitamin D insufficiency. A comparison analysis is necessary because urbanization and rural living may have distinct effects on vitamin D levels. Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2024 to December 2024 in the in the Department of Biochemistry at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College, Sylhet. The study design was cross-sectional. The study population included of school going adolescent girls aged 11 to 17 years from Government Agragami Girls' High School in Sylhet and Lazzatunnessa High School in Biswanath, Sylhet. All participants had a thorough physical examination. Seventy (70) participants from Luzzatunnesa High School, Biswanath, were classified as group A, while another seventy (70) participants from Government Agragami Girls' High School, Sylhet, were classified as group B. A sample was selected from class seven to ten at these two schools utilizing a lottery method. Height and weight were assessed. The body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Five milliliters of venous blood were collected for biochemical examination. Results: The status of vitamin D was normal in 2 (2.9%) subjects in both group A and group B. But vitamin D insufficiency was significantly more frequent in group A (57.7%, n=39) compared to group B (18.6%, p<0.001). Whereas vitamin D deficiency was significantly less frequent in group A (44.4%) compared to group B (78.6%; p<0.001). There was no significant correlation between vitamin D level and age (r=0.044; p=0.715) and body mass index (r=0.003; p=0.984) in group A (p>0.0.05) and body mass index (p>0.05) in group B. Conclusion: This study indicates a significant incidence of hypovitaminosis D among school going adolescent girls in rural and urban areas, with a normal vitamin D status observed in only a small percentage of participants. Vitamin D insufficiency was more common among rural adolescent girls, whereas vitamin D deficiency was significantly greater among urban adolescent girls. No significant correlation was found between serum vitamin D levels and age or body mass index in either group.