TY - JOUR
T1 - Vitamin D status and associated metabolic risk factors among North Korean refugees in South Korea
T2 - A cross-sectional study
AU - Kim, Kyeong Jin
AU - Kim, Yoon Jung
AU - Kim, Sun Hwa
AU - An, Jee Hyun
AU - Yoo, Hye Jin
AU - Kim, Hee Young
AU - Seo, Ji A.
AU - Kim, Sin Gon
AU - Kim, Nan Hee
AU - Choi, Kyung Mook
AU - Baik, Sei Hyun
AU - Choi, Dong Seop
AU - Kim, Nam Hoon
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is now recognised as a common health problem associated with various chronic diseases; however, it has not been fully elucidated among the minority groups. Here, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its associated metabolic risk factors among North Korean refugees living in South Korea. Design: Cross-sectional analysis from the longitudinal cohort, the North Korean refugee health in South Korea (NORNS) study. Participants: A total of 386 North Korean refugees aged ≥30 years, who measured serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) level. Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D <20 ng/mL) was 87% and no participants had an adequate vitamin D level (25(OH)D ≥30 ng/mL). Underweight participants (body mass index (BMI) <18 kg/m2) had significantly lower 25(OH)D levels than individuals with normal BMI (.18.5 and<23 kg/m2). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the lowest 25(OH)D level (<10 ng/mL) was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome (OR, 6.37, 95% CI 1.34 to 30.3), high triglyceride (OR, 6.71, 95% CI 1.75 to 25.7), and low high-density lipoprotein (OR, 5.98, 95% CI 1.54 to 23.2) compared with 25(OH)D levels ≥20 ng/mL after adjusting for age, sex, season, length of residence in South Korea, physical activity and BMI. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is very common among North Korean refugees in South Korea. Despite their lower BMI, vitamin D deficiency was associated with metabolic syndrome in this population.
AB - Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is now recognised as a common health problem associated with various chronic diseases; however, it has not been fully elucidated among the minority groups. Here, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its associated metabolic risk factors among North Korean refugees living in South Korea. Design: Cross-sectional analysis from the longitudinal cohort, the North Korean refugee health in South Korea (NORNS) study. Participants: A total of 386 North Korean refugees aged ≥30 years, who measured serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) level. Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D <20 ng/mL) was 87% and no participants had an adequate vitamin D level (25(OH)D ≥30 ng/mL). Underweight participants (body mass index (BMI) <18 kg/m2) had significantly lower 25(OH)D levels than individuals with normal BMI (.18.5 and<23 kg/m2). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the lowest 25(OH)D level (<10 ng/mL) was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome (OR, 6.37, 95% CI 1.34 to 30.3), high triglyceride (OR, 6.71, 95% CI 1.75 to 25.7), and low high-density lipoprotein (OR, 5.98, 95% CI 1.54 to 23.2) compared with 25(OH)D levels ≥20 ng/mL after adjusting for age, sex, season, length of residence in South Korea, physical activity and BMI. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is very common among North Korean refugees in South Korea. Despite their lower BMI, vitamin D deficiency was associated with metabolic syndrome in this population.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84956903926&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009140
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009140
M3 - Article
C2 - 26526808
AN - SCOPUS:84956903926
SN - 2044-6055
VL - 5
JO - BMJ open
JF - BMJ open
IS - 11
M1 - e009140
ER -
