Skip to main content
Article
Vitamin D Deficiency and Its Associated Factors among Female Migrants in the United Arab Emirates
Nutrients
  • Fatme Al Anouti, Zayed University
  • Luai A. Ahmed, College of Medicine and Health Sciences United Arab Emirates University
  • Azmat Riaz, Ajman University
  • William B. Grant, Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center
  • Nadir Shah, Planning and Development Division
  • Raghib Ali, NYU Abu Dhabi
  • Juma Alkaabi, College of Medicine and Health Sciences United Arab Emirates University
  • Syed M. Shah, College of Medicine and Health Sciences United Arab Emirates University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1-2022
Abstract

Vitamin D is important for bone health, and vitamin D deficiency could be linked to noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its associated risk factors among female migrants from Philippines, Arab, and South Asian countries residing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We used a cross-sectional study to recruit a random sample (N = 550) of female migrants aged 18 years and over in the city of Al Ain, UAE. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations ≤20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L). We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors associated with vitamin D deficiency. The mean age of participants was 35 years (SD ± 10). The overall prevalence rate of vitamin D deficiency was 67% (95% CI 60–73%), with the highest rate seen in Arabs (87%), followed by South Asians (83%) and the lowest in Filipinas (15%). Multivariate analyses showed that low physical activity (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.59; 95% CI 1.98, 10.63), having more than 5 years duration of residence in the UAE (aOR = 4.65; 95% CI: 1.31, 16.53) and being obese (aOR = 3.56; 95% CI 1.04, 12.20) were independently associated with vitamin D deficiency, after controlling for age and nationality. In summary, vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent among female migrants, especially Arabs and South Asians. It is crucial that health professionals in the UAE become aware of this situation among this vulnerable subpopulation and provide intervention strategies aiming to rectify vitamin D deficiency by focusing more on sun exposure, physical activity, and supplementation.

Publisher
MDPI AG
Keywords
  • Female migrants,
  • Prevalence,
  • United Arab Emirates,
  • Vitamin D status
Scopus ID

85125937719

Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Indexed in Scopus
Yes
Open Access
Yes
Open Access Type
Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series
Citation Information
Fatme Al Anouti, Luai A. Ahmed, Azmat Riaz, William B. Grant, et al.. "Vitamin D Deficiency and Its Associated Factors among Female Migrants in the United Arab Emirates" Nutrients Vol. 14 Iss. 5 (2022)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/fatme-alanouti/37/