Vitamin D Insufficiency is High in Malaysia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Studies on Vitamin D Status in Malaysia

Overview

Journal Front Nutr

Specialty Nutritional Sciences

Date 2022 Dec 5

PMID 36466384

Authors

Shamin Mohd Saffian

Nor Aini Jamil

Nor Asyikin Mohd Tahir

Ernieda Hatah

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: To estimate the vitamin D status of participants residing in Malaysia.

Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and MyJurnal were searched up to June 2022 without language restrictions. Studies that reported the 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and defined their cut-off for deficiency or insufficiency from healthy participants residing in Malaysia were included. The random effects model was used to pool vitamin D status using established cut-offs of <30, <50, and <75 nmol/L according to age group.

Results: From 299 studies screened, 32 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled proportion for <30 nmol/L was 21% (95% CI 9-36, = 2,438 from 10 studies), while the pooled proportion <50 nmol/L was 64% (95% CI 56-72, = 13,977 from 30 studies), and <75 nmol/L was 85% (95% CI 61-100, = 1,376 from five studies). Heterogeneity was high (I ranged from 98-99%). Higher proportions of vitamin D insufficiency (defined as <50 nmol/L) were found in participants living in the urban areas (compared to rural areas), in females (compared to males), and in Malays and Malaysian Indians (compared to Malaysian Chinese) ethnicities.

Conclusion: More than half of Malaysians have insufficient vitamin D levels, despite being a country that is close to the equator. We strongly urge prompt public health measures to improve the vitamin D status in Malaysia.

Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/], identifier [CRD42021260259].

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