A pan-India study, demonstrating the association between vitamin D deficiency, hypertension and Type-2 diabetes in Indian patients released last week said 70 to 90% of patients have a deficiency of vitamin D, with almost undetectable levels during winter.
The study, authored by diabetologist Dr. P.G. Talwalkar, Vaishali Deshmukh, M.C. Deepak and Dinesh Agrawal, said the deficiency can have adverse consequences for skeletal development in babies and children, and bone health in adults.
“The deficiency is linked to chronic disease, including diabetes and hypertension. Vitamin D is also associated with cardiovascular diseases, cancer and infectious diseases like tuberculosis,” the study said. It said India has the second-highest number of patients of diabetes.
Vitamin D is a critical microconstituent that helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphorous, which keep bones and muscles healthy, in the body. These are required to keep the bones, teeth and muscles healthy. The vitamin is also important for overall health.
The study pointed that though vitamin D can be synthesised endogenously, it remains the most under-diagnosed and under-treated nutrient deficiency in the world. It said 84.2% of Type-2 diabetes patients and 82.6% of hypertension patients were vitamin D deficient. Also, 82% of patients were obese or overweight, indicating that there may be a link between the deficiency, and weight gain.
Dr. Talwalkar said there is no significant variation in the deficiency levels across North, South, East or West regions, with each reporting deficiency prevalence of 88%, 90%, 93% and 91% respectively. In Mumbai, the study found 88% prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in urban adults.
“The causes of vitamin D deficiency in a sun-drenched country like India are manifold. Most people do not receive adequate exposure to sunlight, as modern lifestyles have resulted in less time spent outdoors for work and leisure,” Dr. Talwalkar said.
Dr. Srirupa Das, medical director, Abbott, said pregnant women in India have up to 84% prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, which also co-relates with the level of vitamin D in newborns. “This raises the risks of reduced prenatal and postnatal skeletal development, which affects the height as well as bone health,” she said.
