In Adequate Vitamin D levels in Children of Northern Indian Province of Punjab

Background: Hypovitaminosis D is common in children in developing countries. Though majority of population in India lives in areas receiving ample sunlight throughout the year ,vitamin D deficiency is very common in all the age groups across the country.

Objective: This study was undertaken to know the incidence of vitamin D deficiency in Punjabi children.

Methods: This was a retrospective study in which case records of all the children whose 25-(OH )D levels were send from pediatric OPD department of Dayanand medical college and hospital between Jan 2011 and Jan 2015.All the patients were divided into four age groups.Group 1:0-1 years,Group II:1-6 years,Group III:7-12 years and Group IV:>12 years.25(OH)D levels were categorized as deficient if <20ng/ml,insufficient if between 20-30 ng/ml,sufficient if between 30-60 ng/ml and toxic if >70 ng/ml.Values less than 4 ng/ml were categorized as severe deficiency.

Results: More of male children underwent vitamin D level checkup as compared to female.Number of patients has kept on increasing in each age group.In younger age group more of male children reported for investigation whereas in adolescents more of female children got investigated.No. Of children with severely deficient vitamin D levels has also shown a decreasing trend over these four years.Cildren with high levels of Vitamin D (>70 ng/ml) has also increased over the years.Vitamin D deficiency has shown a decreasing trend over these years.

Conclusions: The world is currently facing an unrecognised and untreated pandemic of vitamin D deficiency.Sensitising pediatricians to recognise and treat this pandemic would have great impact on child health in the 21^st century.Widespread subclinical and pre rachitic vitamin D deficiency in children should be diagnosed by serum 25(OH)D levels and these levels should be maintained above 20 ng/dl to obtain optimal health benefits.