Research ArticleResearch

Vitamin D status of refugees arriving in Canada

Findings from the Calgary Refugee Health Program

Michael Aucoin, Rob Weaver, Roger Thomas and Lanice Jones
Canadian Family Physician April 2013; 59 (4) e188-e194;

Article Figures & Data

Figures

  • Figure 1
    Figure 1

    Mean 25(OH)D values of refugees and the Canadian population, by age and sex groupings: Error bars represent 95% CIs.

    25(OH)D—25-hydroxyvitamin D.

    Canadian Health Measures Survey data from Langlois et al.17

  • Figure 2
    Figure 2

    Mean 25(OH)D values of refugee children, by age group: A) Children aged 0–5, B) children aged 6–11, and C) children aged 12–19.

    25(OH)D—25-hydroxyvitamin D.

  • Figure 3
    Figure 3

    Mean 25(OH)D values of refugee women, by region of origin: A) Women from Africa, B) women from South America, C) women from the Middle East, and D) women from Asia.

    25(OH)D—25-hydroxyvitamin D.

  • Figure 4
    Figure 4

    Mean 25(OH)D values of refugee children, by region of origin: A) Children from Africa, B) children from South America, C) children from the Middle East, and D) children from Asia.

    25(OH)D—25-hydroxyvitamin D.

Tables

  • Table 1

    Refugees’ region of origin, by age group: N = 1217.

    AGE GROUP, YREGION OF ORIGIN, N (%)*TOTAL (N = 1217)
    AFRICA (N = 412)ASIA (N = 334)MIDDLE EAST (N = 106)SOUTH AMERICA (N = 309)OTHER (N = 56)
    0–573 (18)71 (21)21 (20)53 (17)10 (18)228 (19)
    6–1173 (18)68 (20)20 (19)66 (21)16 (29)243 (20)
    12–1990 (22)79 (24)18 (17)92 (30)6 (11)285 (23)
    20–39156 (38)110 (33)38 (36)81 (26)19 (34)404 (33)
    40–4520 (5)6 (2)9 (8)17 (6)5 (9)57 (5)

    • ↵* Some percentages do not add to 100% owing to rounding.

  • Table 2

    Refugees whose vitamin D plasma concentration levels met and did not meet those recommended by the IOM and Osteoporosis Canada guidelines

    REFUGEESVITAMIN D PLASMA CONCENTRATION RECOMMENDATIONS
    IOM GUIDELINES, LOWER THAN DESIRABLE (< 50 NMOL/L), N (%)OSTEOPOROSIS CANADA GUIDELINES
    DEFICIENT (< 25 NMOL/L), N (%)INSUFFICIENT (25–75 NMOL/L), N (%)DESIRABLE (> 75 NMOL/L), N (%)
    Children, 0–19 y
    All children (N = 756)318 (42)78 (10)539 (71)139 (18)
    Region of origin
      • Africa (n = 236)112 (47)34 (14)148 (63)54 (23)
      • Asia (n = 218)105 (48)27 (12)170 (78)21 (10)
      • Middle East (n = 59)43 (73)15 (25)40 (68)4 (7)
      • South America (n = 211)48 (23)2 (1)155 (73)54 (26)
      • Other (n = 32)10 (31)0 (0)26 (81)6 (19)
    Women, 20–45 y
    All women (N = 461)279 (61)96 (21)309 (67)56 (12)
    Region of origin
      • Africa (n = 176)109 (62)39 (22)109 (62)28 (16)
      • Asia (n = 116)82 (71)29 (25)81 (70)6 (5)
      • Middle East (n = 47)46 (98)27 (57)20 (43)0 (0)
      • South America (n = 98)26 (27)1 (1)78 (80)19 (19)
      • Other (n = 24)16 (67)0 (0)21 (88)3 (12)

    • IOM—Institute of Medicine.

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Vitamin D status of refugees arriving in Canada
Michael Aucoin, Rob Weaver, Roger Thomas, Lanice Jones
Canadian Family Physician Apr 2013, 59 (4) e188-e194;
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