Association between vitamin D status, physical performance, sex, and lifestyle factors

Autor(en)
Ermira Krasniqi Boshnjaku, Arben Boshnjaku, Antigona Ukëhaxhaj, Karl-Heinz Wagner, Barbara Wessner
Abstrakt

Purpose: Vitamin D status and its association with age-related decline in physical performance and strength have already been highlighted in various ways, but data on the situation in developing countries are scarce. This study aimed to investigate vitamin D status, its association with muscle mass and function, and other potential determinants such as age, sex, lifestyle factors (physical activity, dietary behavior), self-perceived health status, medication intake, education and financial situation in adults from Kosovo. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 297 participants (54.5% women), aged ≥ 40 years. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration, hand grip strength and physical performance tests, body composition, vitamin D dietary intake and knowledge were assessed. The interaction between serum 25(OH)D status, lifestyle factors and muscle traits was investigated. Results: Vitamin D deficiency (< 50 nmol/L) was observed in 47.5% of the total population, of whom 14.7% of them were severely deficient (< 30 nmol/L). No associations were found between 25(OH)D concentration and age. Daily dietary intake of vitamin D was low (1.89 ± 0.67 µg) and 87.6% of individuals did not take vitamin D supplements. However, vitamin D supplementation was the only variable that added statistical significance (p < 0.05) to the prediction of vitamin D status (3.8%). On the other hand, age, medication intake and vitamin D level contributed significantly to the overall regression model, explaining 24.9% of the 30-s chair stand performance as an indicator of lower-body strength endurance. Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among community-dwelling adults in Kosovo and low serum 25(OH)D has been associated with low muscle strength. This implies an urgent need for the development of comprehensive prevention strategies, focusing on pharmacological (supplementation) but also on non-pharmacological strategies such as education, food fortification or lifestyle advices.

Organisation(en)
Institut für Sport- und Bewegungswissenschaft, Forschungsplattform Active Ageing, Department für Ernährungswissenschaften
Externe Organisation(en)
University of Gjakova “Fehmi Agani”
Journal
European Journal of Nutrition
Band
63
Seiten
821-834
Anzahl der Seiten
14
ISSN
1436-6207
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-023-03303-9
Publikationsdatum
01-2024
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ÖFOS 2012
303028 Sportwissenschaft, 303009 Ernährungswissenschaften
Schlagwörter
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Nutrition and Dietetics, Medicine (miscellaneous)
Link zum Portal
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/cf36cfd1-04d9-4eef-a2b2-c44386454688