{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,15]],"date-time":"2025-12-15T00:30:36Z","timestamp":1765758636168,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,28]],"date-time":"2020-11-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1606521600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>At northern latitudes, non-ethnic population groups can be at an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency (defined as a 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] status \u226430 nmol\/L). The vitamin D status of ethnic minority groups has been examined both in UK and European populations, but not in the Irish context. The aim of this study is to assess the vitamin D status from a selection of the Dublin population of South East Asian descent. A search was conducted, using the laboratory information system of St James\u2019s Hospital, Dublin, for vitamin D requests by General practitioners. From 2013 to 2016, 186 participants were identified and 25(OH)D analysis was quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Overall, the median age was 32 years, 51% were male, and the 25(OH)D concentration ranged from 10 to 154 nmol\/L. In total, 66.7% of the total sample were vitamin D deficient and 6.7% had a 25(OH)D status greater than 50 nmol\/L (the 25(OH)D concentration defined by the EU as \u2018sufficient\u2019). Females had a significantly higher 25(OH)D concentration than males (25.0 vs. 18.0 nmol\/L; p = 0.001) but both groups had a significant proportion with deficient status (56% and 76.8%, respectively). Seasonal variation of 25(OH)D was not evident while high rates of deficiency were also observed in those aged &lt;18 years and &gt;50 years. Given the importance of vitamin D for health, this sub-population could be at a significantly increased risk of rickets, impaired bone metabolism, and osteoporosis. In addition, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with several non-bone related conditions, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Currently, there is no unique vitamin D intake or vitamin D status maintenance guidelines recommended for adults of non-Irish descent; this needs to be considered by the relevant public health bodies in Ireland.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu12123674","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,29]],"date-time":"2020-11-29T21:00:57Z","timestamp":1606683657000},"page":"3674","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["A High Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency Observed in an Irish South East Asian Population: A Cross-Sectional Observation Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4225-5223","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eamon","family":"Laird","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"James Bernard","family":"Walsh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mercer\u2019s Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James\u2019s Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Susan","family":"Lanham-New","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nutritional Science, University of Surrey, Surrey GU2 7YW, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"O\u2019Sullivan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rose Anne","family":"Kenny","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1641-1766","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Helena","family":"Scully","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mercer\u2019s Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James\u2019s Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Vivion","family":"Crowley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry, Central Pathology, St. James\u2019s Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Martin","family":"Healy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry, Central Pathology, St. James\u2019s Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Institute of Medicine (US) (2010). Committee to Review Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D, National Academies Press."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"976","DOI":"10.1016\/j.autrev.2013.02.004","article-title":"Vitamin D effects on musculoskeletal health, immunity, autoimmunity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, fertility, pregnancy, dementia and mortality-a review of recent evidence","volume":"12","author":"Pludowski","year":"2013","journal-title":"Autoimmun. Rev."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gaksch, M., Jorde, R., Grimnes, G., Joakimsen, R., Schirmer, H., Wilsgaard, T., Mathiesen, E.B., Nj\u00f8lstad, I., L\u00f8chen, M.L., and M\u00e4rz, W. (2017). Vitamin D and mortality: Individual participant data meta-analysis of standardized 25-hydroxyvitamin D in 26916 individuals from a European consortium. PLoS ONE, 16.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0170791"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1807","DOI":"10.1210\/jc.2013-3507","article-title":"Vitamin D deficiency is associated with inflammation in older Irish adults","volume":"99","author":"Laird","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"693","DOI":"10.3390\/nu2070693","article-title":"Vitamin D and bone health; Potential mechanisms","volume":"2","author":"Laird","year":"2010","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (2016). Vitamin D and Health."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1033","DOI":"10.3945\/ajcn.115.120873","article-title":"Vitamin D deficiency in Europe: Pandemic?","volume":"103","author":"Cashman","year":"2016","journal-title":"Am. J. Clin. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"519","DOI":"10.1093\/gerona\/glx168","article-title":"The Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and the Determinants of 25(OH)D Concentration in Older Irish Adults: Data From The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)","volume":"73","author":"Laird","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Gerontol. Biol. Sci. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bonr.2018.06.001","article-title":"Vitamin D deficiency in immigrants","volume":"1","author":"Lips","year":"2018","journal-title":"Bone Rep."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsbmb.2016.03.025","article-title":"Vitamin D production in UK Caucasian and South Asian women following UVR exposure","volume":"164","author":"Hakim","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1401","DOI":"10.1111\/bjd.14800","article-title":"Target the message: A qualitative study exploring knowledge and cultural attitudes to sunlight and vitamin D in Greater Manchester, UK","volume":"175","author":"Webb","year":"2016","journal-title":"Br. J. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsbmb.2016.09.010","article-title":"A predictive model of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in UK white as well as black and Asian minority ethnic population groups for application in food fortification strategy development towards vitamin D deficiency prevention","volume":"173","author":"Kazantzidis","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1219","DOI":"10.3945\/ajcn.111.019976","article-title":"Recommended summer sunlight exposure amounts fail to produce sufficient vitamin D status in UK adults of South Asian origin","volume":"94","author":"Farrar","year":"2011","journal-title":"Am. J. Clin. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Darling, A.L., Blackbourn, D.J., Ahmadi, K.R., and Lanham-New, S.A. (2020). Very high prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in 6433 UK South Asian adults: Analysis of the UK Biobank Cohort. Br. J. Nutr., 1\u201312.","DOI":"10.1017\/S0007114520002779"},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"Central Statistics Office (CSO) Ireland (2016). Census 2016 Profile 8\u2014Irish Travellers, Ethnicity and Religion, Central Statistics Office (CSO)."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"231","DOI":"10.1016\/j.diabres.2013.11.011","article-title":"Diabetes in south-east Asia: An update","volume":"103","author":"Ramachandran","year":"2014","journal-title":"Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"f5446","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.f5446","article-title":"Association between body mass index and cardiovascular disease mortality in east Asians and south Asians: Pooled analysis of prospective data from the Asia Cohort Consortium","volume":"347","author":"Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1421","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(20)30922-3","article-title":"Ethnicity and COVID-19: An urgent public health research priority","volume":"395","author":"Pareek","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"m1548","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.m1548","article-title":"Is ethnicity linked to incidence or outcomes of covid-19?","volume":"369","author":"Khunti","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e003293","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2013-003293","article-title":"Vitamin D status in recently arrived immigrants from Africa and Asia: A cross-sectional study from Norway of children, adolescents and adults","volume":"3","author":"Eggemoen","year":"2013","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.318.7175.28","article-title":"Vitamin D concentrations in Asian children aged 2 years living in England: Population survey","volume":"318","author":"Lawson","year":"1999","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"509","article-title":"Blunted seasonal variation in serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D and increased risk of osteomalacia in vegetarian London Asians","volume":"46","author":"Finch","year":"1992","journal-title":"Eur. J. Clin. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"350","DOI":"10.1093\/ajcn\/84.2.350","article-title":"High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant non-Western women in The Hague, Netherlands","volume":"84","author":"Karamali","year":"2006","journal-title":"Am. J. Clin. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1052","DOI":"10.1017\/S0007114508055712","article-title":"Vitamin D status among immigrant mothers from Pakistan, Turkey and Somalia and their infants attending child health clinics in Norway","volume":"101","author":"Madar","year":"2009","journal-title":"Br. J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"941","DOI":"10.1007\/s00431-008-0864-1","article-title":"Nutritional rickets in Denmark: A retrospective review of children\u2019s medical records from 1985 to 2005","volume":"168","author":"Jensen","year":"2009","journal-title":"Eur. J. Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(82)90214-8","article-title":"Increased skin pigment reduces the capacity of skin to synthesise vitamin D3","volume":"319","author":"Clemens","year":"1982","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"858","DOI":"10.3945\/jn.116.244079","article-title":"Ambient UVB Dose and Sun Enjoyment Are Important Predictors of Vitamin D Status in an Older Population","volume":"147","author":"Laird","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Man, R., Li, L.J., Cheng, C.Y., Wong, T., Lamoureux, E., and Sabanayagam, C. (2017). Prevalence and determinants of suboptimal vitamin D levels in a multiethnic Asian population. Nutrients, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu9030313"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1272","DOI":"10.1111\/bjd.12518","article-title":"Lifestyle factors including less cutaneous sun exposure contribute to starkly lower vitamin D levels in UK South Asians compared with the white population","volume":"169","author":"Kift","year":"2013","journal-title":"Br. J. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2612","DOI":"10.1210\/jc.2005-2750","article-title":"Vitamin D metabolism in peripheral blood mononuclear cells is influenced by chewing \u201cbetel nut\u201d (Areca catechu) and vitamin D status","volume":"91","author":"Ogunkolade","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab."},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"(2020, May 28). Food Safety Authority of Ireland Updated Healthy Eating Guidelines Guide to Improve Nation\u2019s Diet. Available online: https:\/\/www.fsai.ie\/news_centre\/press_releases\/healthy_eating_guidelines_28012019.html."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"56","DOI":"10.1016\/j.healthpol.2011.05.012","article-title":"The ambiguity of ethnicity as risk factor of vitamin D deficiency\u2014A case study of Danish vitamin D policy documents","volume":"102","author":"Mygind","year":"2011","journal-title":"Health Policy"},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"(2020, May 25). Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) Report 2016. Vitamin D and Health, Available online: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/sacn-vitamin-d-and-health-report."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2014). Vitamin D: Implementation of Existing Guidance to Prevent Deficiency, Public Health Draft Guidance. Available online: http:\/\/guidance.nice.org.uk\/PHG\/71."}],"container-title":["Nutrients"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/12\/12\/3674\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T10:38:58Z","timestamp":1760179138000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/12\/12\/3674"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,28]]},"references-count":34,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,12]]}},"alternative-id":["nu12123674"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/nu12123674","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-6643"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2072-6643"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,28]]}}}