Evaluation of Vitamin D Levels in A Sample of Healthy Children and Adolescents in the City of Zawia, Western Libya

Abstract

In this study, vitamin D levels were evaluated in a sample of children and adolescents in the city of Zawia, Libya, during the years 2021 and 2024. 500 children and adolescents participated in the study, at a rate of 250 participants per year. Laboratory examinations were conducted in some medical clinics in the city, and vitamin D levels were classified as follows: Vitamin D deficiency: ≥20 ng/ml; inadequacy: 21-29 ng/ml. adequacy: ≤30 ng/ml. Overall, 39.2% of participants had vitamin D insufficiency in 2021, with a mean value of 9.77±4.50 ng/ml, according to the data. In 2024, 52% of participants had vitamin D deficiency, with a mean value of 18.03±1.14 ng/ml. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was higher in both years among females than males (P<0.001), and it rose in both sexes in 2024 compared to 2021. Additionally, adolescents in the 13–18 age group had a significantly higher rate of vitamin D deficiency than those in the 1–6 age group (P<0.001), and the rate of deficiency increased in 2024 compared to 2021 across all age groups. The study concluded that vitamin D deficiency is common in the sample and became more prevalent in 2024 than in 2021, especially among adolescents and females. In light of this increase, awareness programmes highlighting the importance of adequate sun exposure, food fortification, and vitamin D supplements are required, especially for categories that are more vulnerable to deficiencies