Nutritional and General Awareness of Vitamin D Status among Adult Population in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study
The health benefits of vitamin D are widely acknowledged by scientific and public health specialists. In Iraq, vitamin D deficiency and inadequacy are highly prevalent. However, public knowledge on this problem is scarce. This research aimed to evaluate the participants' knowledge about vitamin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sulaimani Polytechnic University
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Kurdistan Journal of Applied Research |
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| Online Access: | https://kjar.spu.edu.iq/index.php/kjar/article/view/817 |
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| author | Reder Rafiq Mohammed Salih Fadhluddin Nasruddin Shakor Dalia Ardal Ali Rafiq Mohammed Salih Rashid |
| author_facet | Reder Rafiq Mohammed Salih Fadhluddin Nasruddin Shakor Dalia Ardal Ali Rafiq Mohammed Salih Rashid |
| author_sort | Reder Rafiq Mohammed Salih |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The health benefits of vitamin D are widely acknowledged by scientific and public health specialists. In Iraq, vitamin D deficiency and inadequacy are highly prevalent. However, public knowledge on this problem is scarce. This research aimed to evaluate the participants' knowledge about vitamin D, particularly their nutrition-related understanding and behavior, along with their overall attitude toward sun exposure. A descriptive cross-sectional survey of Iraqi adults over 18 was performed with a collection of serum 25(OH)D result between June and September 2022. The observed serum vitamin D indicated that only 25% of the participant had healthy (>30 ng/ml) vitamin D levels. The majority of participants, 90.9%, were aware of vitamin D. Media and primary health care centers were major vitamin D information sources (57.3 and 32%, respectively). Despite believing sunshine is the principal source of vitamin D (90.2%), respondents lacked understanding about the duration (26.3%) and frequency (30%) of sun exposure. In addition, less than 10% of individuals attributed vitamin D shortage to kidney and liver problems, fat malabsorption, obesity, and bariatric surgery. Nevertheless, more than two-thirds (83.3%) of participants defined the positive role of vitamin D in preventing osteoporosis and immune system strengthening (61%). Furthermore, nutritional awareness among the participants was variable. Approximately, 75% misrepresented the percentage of vitamin D supplied by food, over 50% believed that fruit and vegetables are vitamin D sources, 43% of vegetarians are not at risk for vitamin D deficiency, and rather plants considered (70.3%) as an approach to lessen vitamin D deficiency. Additionally, optimal daily intake was recognized by only 10%. Similarly, only 18.3% was aware of the optimal level of serum vitamin D. Notably, 54% was entirely ignorant of the benefits of dietary fortification. Although 55% of the surveyed population used vitamin D supplements, and 76% acknowledged it through their doctor's recommendation, exceeding two-thirds incorrectly anticipated that drinking tea would impair vitamin D absorption. Therefore, 90% would buy supplements without a prescription if needed. Implementing nutrition education initiatives, encouraging healthy lifestyles, and supporting vitamin D examination should be included in Iraq's health care system.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7bbf452c1e8a43f988969498ee457438 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2411-7684 2411-7706 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Sulaimani Polytechnic University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Kurdistan Journal of Applied Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-7bbf452c1e8a43f988969498ee4574382025-02-09T20:59:37ZengSulaimani Polytechnic UniversityKurdistan Journal of Applied Research2411-76842411-77062023-02-018110.24017/science.2023.1.3Nutritional and General Awareness of Vitamin D Status among Adult Population in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional StudyReder Rafiq Mohammed Salih0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2927-6775Fadhluddin Nasruddin Shakor1Dalia Ardal Ali2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1174-6081Rafiq Mohammed Salih Rashid3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8835-4839Food Science and Quality Control Department, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, IraqNursing Department, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaymaniyah, IraqFood Science and Quality Control Department, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, IraqFood Science and Quality Control Department, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, IraqThe health benefits of vitamin D are widely acknowledged by scientific and public health specialists. In Iraq, vitamin D deficiency and inadequacy are highly prevalent. However, public knowledge on this problem is scarce. This research aimed to evaluate the participants' knowledge about vitamin D, particularly their nutrition-related understanding and behavior, along with their overall attitude toward sun exposure. A descriptive cross-sectional survey of Iraqi adults over 18 was performed with a collection of serum 25(OH)D result between June and September 2022. The observed serum vitamin D indicated that only 25% of the participant had healthy (>30 ng/ml) vitamin D levels. The majority of participants, 90.9%, were aware of vitamin D. Media and primary health care centers were major vitamin D information sources (57.3 and 32%, respectively). Despite believing sunshine is the principal source of vitamin D (90.2%), respondents lacked understanding about the duration (26.3%) and frequency (30%) of sun exposure. In addition, less than 10% of individuals attributed vitamin D shortage to kidney and liver problems, fat malabsorption, obesity, and bariatric surgery. Nevertheless, more than two-thirds (83.3%) of participants defined the positive role of vitamin D in preventing osteoporosis and immune system strengthening (61%). Furthermore, nutritional awareness among the participants was variable. Approximately, 75% misrepresented the percentage of vitamin D supplied by food, over 50% believed that fruit and vegetables are vitamin D sources, 43% of vegetarians are not at risk for vitamin D deficiency, and rather plants considered (70.3%) as an approach to lessen vitamin D deficiency. Additionally, optimal daily intake was recognized by only 10%. Similarly, only 18.3% was aware of the optimal level of serum vitamin D. Notably, 54% was entirely ignorant of the benefits of dietary fortification. Although 55% of the surveyed population used vitamin D supplements, and 76% acknowledged it through their doctor's recommendation, exceeding two-thirds incorrectly anticipated that drinking tea would impair vitamin D absorption. Therefore, 90% would buy supplements without a prescription if needed. Implementing nutrition education initiatives, encouraging healthy lifestyles, and supporting vitamin D examination should be included in Iraq's health care system. https://kjar.spu.edu.iq/index.php/kjar/article/view/817Vitamin D deficiencynutritionsun knowledgehealthsupplements |
| spellingShingle | Reder Rafiq Mohammed Salih Fadhluddin Nasruddin Shakor Dalia Ardal Ali Rafiq Mohammed Salih Rashid Nutritional and General Awareness of Vitamin D Status among Adult Population in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study Kurdistan Journal of Applied Research Vitamin D deficiency nutrition sun knowledge health supplements |
| title | Nutritional and General Awareness of Vitamin D Status among Adult Population in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | Nutritional and General Awareness of Vitamin D Status among Adult Population in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Nutritional and General Awareness of Vitamin D Status among Adult Population in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nutritional and General Awareness of Vitamin D Status among Adult Population in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | Nutritional and General Awareness of Vitamin D Status among Adult Population in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | nutritional and general awareness of vitamin d status among adult population in sulaymaniyah governorate kurdistan region iraq a cross sectional study |
| topic | Vitamin D deficiency nutrition sun knowledge health supplements |
| url | https://kjar.spu.edu.iq/index.php/kjar/article/view/817 |
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