Serum Levels of the Vitamin D and Zinc in Adolescents Aged 10 to 19 Years in Mashhad

Vitamin D and zinc play an essential role in growth and health of children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate the vitamin D and zinc deficiency prevalence in adolescents in Mashhad.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 3380 adolescents in the age range of 10-19 years from October 2020 to September 2022. Vitamin D level was evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography and zinc level was investigated by colorimetric technique. The studied subjects were divided into three groups in terms of vitamin D levels: deficiency: <10 ng/mL, insufficient levels: 10-30 ng/mL, normal levels: 30-100 ng/mL, and according to the amount of zinc, they are divided into two groups: deficiency: <60 µg/dL and normal: 60-120 µg/dL. The results were analyzed using chi-square and regression tests.

Out of 3380 adolescents, 69.1% were girls and 30.9% were boys. In studied adolescents, 11.4% had vitamin D deficiency, 51.9% had insufficient vitamin D, and 36.7% had normal vitamin D levels. Zinc deficiency was observed in 7.4% of the studied groups. The prevalence of vitamin D and zinc deficiency was higher in girl adolescents than in boy adolescents (P < 0.001). The results of the study showed that the low level of zinc in the studied adolescents is not a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency.

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in adolescents, especially girls, is high in the city of Mashhad. It is recommended to use enrich food and supplements to control malnutrition.