Affiliations 

  • 1 Dietetics Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
  • 2 Biomedical Science Program & Centre for Healthy Ageing & Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras 56000, Malaysia
  • 4 Centre for Biotechnology and Functional Food, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
PMID: 31783521 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16234735

Abstract

This study assessed knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) related to vitamin D and its relationship with vitamin D status among Malay female office workers. A total of 147 women aged between 20 and 55 years were recruited from a university in Kuala Lumpur. They answered questionnaires related to KAP on vitamin D, sun exposure, dietary vitamin D intake and physical activity. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) was analysed using an enzyme-linked immunoassay. Nearly half (45%) of the subjects had good knowledge but moderate attitude (76%) and practice (84%) towards sunlight exposure and dietary vitamin D intake. Median serum 25OHD was 34.1 nmol/L with the majority (91%) had vitamin D insufficiency (25OHD < 50 nmol/L). Knowledge was weakly associated with attitude (r = 0.29, p < 0.001) but no association was found between knowledge and practice (r = 0.08, p = 0.355) nor attitude and practice (r = -0.001, p = 0.994). Serum 25OHD was positively associated with sunlight exposure (r = 0.22, p = 0.008) and dietary vitamin D intake (r = 0.37, p < 0.001). It can be implied that this group is at increased risk of low bone health status, which highlights the needs of public health campaigns to improve their vitamin D status.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.