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Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Risk Factors in Muslim Housewives of Quetta, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Vitamin D (Vit-D) plays a central role in calcium homeostasis and maintains skeletal integrity. Housewives in Quetta, Pakistan are at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency (VDD). They spend a greater part of their day in cleaning, washing, cooking, managing daily groceries, and other hou...

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Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2021-09, Vol.13 (9), p.e17643-e17643
Main Authors: Hussain, Taimoor, Eimal Latif, Abdul Habib, Malik, Sheza, Raza, Sami, Saeed, Tooba, Salman Zahid, Asjad, Nazary, Kefayatullah, Arshad, Mohammad mohsin, Khan, Rajeswari, Walizada, Khalida, Wahab, Ahsan
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Language:English
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Summary:Background Vitamin D (Vit-D) plays a central role in calcium homeostasis and maintains skeletal integrity. Housewives in Quetta, Pakistan are at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency (VDD). They spend a greater part of their day in cleaning, washing, cooking, managing daily groceries, and other household chores. Thus, little time is left for self-care and outdoor activities. They wear hijab and have very little exposure to sunlight. In addition, their diet is deficient in Vit-D-rich food items, rendering them at high risk of VDD. Fear of getting tanned, melasma, and preference for a fair complexion further limit their sun exposure. This study evaluates the prevalence of VDD in housewives and determines its various risk factors to recommend screening guidelines for VDD. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed between November 2020 and April 2021 and recruited housewives aged >18 from the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Quetta. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. VDD was defined as a serum 25(OH)-D level 
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.17643