The Effect of Clothing style on vitamin D,iPTH and Calcitonin in Kuwaiti Pre-Menopausal Women

University of Manchester (2010) Proc Physiol Soc 19, PC286

Poster Communications: The Effect of Clothing style on vitamin D,iPTH and Calcitonin in Kuwaiti Pre-Menopausal Women

F. AlOtaibi1, M. Al-Bader2, F. Al-Yatama3, K. Al-Shoumer4

1. Department of Physiology, kuwait University, kuwait, Kuwait. 2. Department of Physiology, kuwait univesity, Aljabrya, Kuwait. 3. Dept ofMedical Laboratories, kuwait University, kuwait, Kuwait. 4. Department of Medicine, kuwait University, kuwait, Kuwait.

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Vitamin D has an important effect on calcium metabolism by increasing its gut absorption and bone resorption. The most common forms of vitamin D are vitamin D2 that is absorbed from dietary foods and vitamin D3, which is produced as a result of 7-dehydrocholesterol conversion in the skin from solar ultraviolet B (UVB) and enters body by circulation systems. Vitamin D deficiency in childhood causes rickets, while in adulthood it leads to osteoporosis or osteomalacia. High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and low vitamin D status in Arab women especially in the Gulf region is due to low exposure to sunlight. It was reported that 95%-100% of Arab women cover their bodies due to cultural and religious reasons and this could be a major cause of low vitamin D status that may lead to deficiency. In this study three groups of Healthy pre-menopausal single Kuwaiti females (20-35 yrs of age; 30 per study) were recruited. Written informed consent and questionnaire were obtained from each subject. Group I (GI) included females wearing Western clothes (control group), Group II (GII) involved females wearing the hejab since puberty with face and hands exposed and Group III (GIII) included those females wearing the black veil since puberty and most of their bodies were covered. Fasting blood samples were collected for measurement of liver, renal and lipid profile with 25(OH)D, intact Parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and calcitonin hormones. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17. The three groups were matched for age mean±SEM (GI, GII and GIII) (21.93 ±0.358, 24.1 ±0.606 and 22.15 ±0.395) respectively. In GI, GII and GII, mean±SEM concentration of 25(OH)D were 15.46 ±1.34, 14.14 ±1.6 and 12.15 ±1.49 nmol/L, iPTH concentrations were 51.37 ±3.7, 54.54 ±5.37, 64.12 ±6.12 pg/ml, Calcitonin concentrations were 1.43 ±0.24, 1.35 ±0.2 and 1.11 ±0.19 pg/ml respectively. Although, the mean 25(OH)D concentrations for all groups lie in the deficient range (less than 30 nmol/L), decreasing trend of 25(OH)D was observed from GI,GII to GIII. The level of iPTH in the three groups, which was also statistically not significant, however, it showed a reverse trend to that for 25(OH)D. Calcitonin results did not give any statistically significant difference between groups, but had a similar trend to that of iPTH whereby the levels seem to decrease the more covered a woman is. Although the majority of our participants suffered from vitamin D deficiency, subjects who wearing hejab and veiled had lower vitamin D level than un veiled group. Thus clothing factor may cause vitamin D deficiency, but it does not considered the main causative factor that blocks solar UVB. The life style in Kuwait make a direct exposure to the solar light difficult due to different transporter ways (cars and bus), working and also walking out in closed mall or area.



Where applicable, experiments conform with Society ethical requirements.

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