Niveles de Vitamina D relacionados con índice de masa corporal y perímetro abdominal en los estudiantes matriculados en la rotación de pediatría de la carrera de medicina de la Universidad de Cuenca enero 2024 - mayo 2024

Abstract

Background: The deficiency of vitamin is considered a public health issue and a critical research topic due to its high prevalence in Latin America. In particular, low levels of vitamin D have been associated with nutritional disorders. Objective: To determine the levels of vitamin D and their relation with body mass index (BMI) and abdominal circumference among pediatric students in the medicine school at the University of Cuenca, in Cuenca, Ecuador. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with last year students who completed the “Pediatrics” rotation from September 2023 to February 2024. The studied population consists of 57 individuals, of which 50 were selected. The data collection process was performed through a survey, anthropometric measurements, and vitamin D dosage, all stored in an anonymous database, organized in Microsoft Excel and SPSS software. Descriptive tables with percentages, frequencies, and associations were presented using the Chi-square test. Results: A total of 50 students were registered, of which 56% were female, 98% identified as “mestizo”. On this, the 42.9% of women and 36.4% of men had increased abdominal circumference, and 24% of them presented overweight condition. The overall prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 92%. The results allowed us to establish an association between altered BMI, sun exposure, and sunscreen use with vitamin D deficiency. The timing of sun exposure for the samples (between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM) did not present a relation with vitamin D deficiency.