RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the vitamin D status of children living in Amasya, a city in northern Turkey. Vitamin D is an essential hormone for the health of the musculoskeletal system and acts as a modulator for the immune system, a protector of the cardiovascular system and a regulator of metabolic homeostasis. METHODS: A total of 2551 healthy individuals aged 1 to17 years enrolled in this study. They were divided into 4 groups, according to their ages. Vitamin D status was classified based on the 2015 global consensus statement from the Endocrine Society. The data were collected from the hospital record system, retrospectively, and categorized according to age, gender, and the season in which the blood sample was taken for the measurement of 25 (OH) D levels. RESULTS: Only 39% of the subjects were found to have sufficient vitamin D levels (>50 nmol/l [i.e., >20 ng/ml]), while the rest had poor vitamin D status. The insufficiency and deficiency problems were greater in females especially in winter and increasing with age. CONCLUSION: The high frequency of poor vitamin D status in otherwise healthy children indicates a necessity for supplementation and for implementing lifelong strategies that increase and maintain adequate levels of sun exposure.