Vitamin D status and body composition: a cross-sectional study among employees at a private university in Lebanon

Al Hayek, Sibelle; Matar Bou Mosleh, Jocelyne; Ghadieh, Rachelle; El Hayek Fares, Jessy

doi:10.1186/s40795-018-0239-6

BMC Nutrition

Table 1 Sample Characteristics (Socio-demographic, Dietary, Lifestyle, Anthropometric, and Biochemical factors) of Study Participants

From: Vitamin D status and body composition: a cross-sectional study among employees at a private university in Lebanon

Characteristic	Total (n = 344)		Men (n = 172)		Women (n = 172)		P-value⁴
Characteristic	n or mean or median	% or SD or IQR	n or mean	% or SD	n or mean	% or SD	P-value⁴
Age (years)	42.6	11.5	45.6	12.1	39.5	10.2	0.000
Marital status
Single/ Separated/ Divorced	119	34.6	53	30.8	66	38.4	0.174
Married	225	65.4	119	69.2	106	61.6
Education level
High school	75	21.8	48	27.9^a	27	15.7^b	0.013
Bachelor degree	87	25.3	36	20.9^a	51	29.6^a
Graduate	182	52.9	88	51.2^a	94	54.7^a
Income ($)
< 2250	112	32.6	61	35.5^a	51	29.6^a	0.033
2250–4000	87	25.3	33	19.2^a	54	31.4^b
> 4000	145	42.2	78	45.3^a	67	39.0^a
Medical morbidity
No	202	58.9	91	53.2	111	64.5	0.043
Yes	141	41.1	80	46.8	61	35.5
Vitamin D intake (μg)	1.3	[0.6–3.2]	2.5	4.0	2.0	2.0	0.209
Intake of vitamin D supplement, past 3 months
No	270	78.5	142	82.6	128	74.4	0.088
Yes	74	21.5	30	17.4	44	25.6
Alcohol drinking
No	255	74.1	112	65.1	143	83.1	0.000
Yes	89	25.9	60	34.9	29	16.9
Smoking
No	212	61.6	93	54.1	119	69.2	0.006
Yes	132	38.4	79	45.9	53	30.8
Daily exposure to direct sunlight							0.008
≤ 15 mins	136	39.5	66	38.4^a	70	40.7^a
16–60 min	112	32.6	46	26.7^a	66	38.4^b
> 60 mins	96	27.9	60	34.9^a	36	20.9^b
Use sunscreen
No	244	70.9	165	95.9	79	45.9	0.000
Yes	100	29.1	7	4.1	93	54.1
Physical activity level
Low	221	64.2	10.3	59.9	118	68.6	0.115
Moderate/High	123	35.8	69.0	40.1	54	31.4
OCP¹ use
No	341	99.1	100	100	169	98.3	0.248
Yes	3	0.9	0	0	3	1.7
BMI²
Underweight	2	0.6	0	0.0^a,b	2	1.2^a,b	0.000
Normal	122	35.5	27	15.7^a	95	55.2^b
Overweight	130	37.8	86	50.0^a	44	25.6^b
Obese	90	26.2	59	34.3^a	31	18.0^b
Percent body fat	30.9	7.9	27.8	6.9	34.0	7.6	0.000
Waist circumference
Low risk³	170	49.4	85	49.4	85	49.4	1
High risk	174	50.6	87	50.6	87	50.6
Vitamin D concentration (ng/mL)	25.7	[18.2–25.7]	28.4	15.0	28.1	12.8	0.846

¹Oral Contraceptive Pills
²Body Mass Index
³WC values were classified as high risk/low risk for diseases, using the World Health Organization (WHO) cutoffs for men > 102 cm and women > 88 cm [24]
⁴The P value reflects gender differences
Columns with superscripts without a common symbol differ, the P value is < 0.05
Comparisons of continuous and categorical variables were performed using independent sample T Test/Mann-Whitney-U-test and the chi square test /Fisher’s exact test, respectively

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ISSN: 2055-0928

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