Vitamin D status and associated metabolic risk factors among North Korean refugees in South Korea: a cross-sectional study
- Authors
- Kim, Kyeong Jin; Kim, Yoon Jung; Kim, Sun Hwa; An, Jee Hyun; Yoo, Hye Jin; Kim, Hee Young; Seo, Ji A.; Kim, Sin Gon; Kim, Nan Hee; Choi, Kyung Mook; Baik, Sei Hyun; Choi, Dong Seop; Kim, Nam Hoon
- Issue Date
- 2015
- Publisher
- BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP
- Citation
- BMJ OPEN, v.5, no.11
- Indexed
- SCIE
SCOPUS
- Journal Title
- BMJ OPEN
- Volume
- 5
- Number
- 11
- URI
- https://scholar.korea.ac.kr/handle/2021.sw.korea/96118
- DOI
- 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009140
- ISSN
- 2044-6055
- Abstract
- 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/m(2)) had significantly lower 25(OH) D levels than individuals with normal BMI (>= 18.5 and <23 kg/m(2)). 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.
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Collections - Graduate School > Department of Biomedical Sciences > 1. Journal Articles
- College of Medicine > Department of Medical Science > 1. Journal Articles
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