Vitamin D Deficiency and Anemia in Older Men and Women

Recent studies have shown that more than one third of middle-aged and older individuals have vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and that 10% of people ≥65 have anemia. To determine whether VDD is associated with anemia in older adults, investigators analyzed hemoglobin, vitamin D, and other data for nearly 5000 participants (age, ≥60) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. VDD was defined as serum levels <20 ng/mL; anemia was defined as hemoglobin levels <13 g/dL in men and <12 g/dL in women.

Anemia was more prevalent in individuals with VDD than in those without VDD (12.3% vs. 7.4%; odds ratio, 1.78; P< 0.001); this association remained after adjustment for age, sex, and race/ethnicity (OR, 1.47; P=0.02). VDD was more prevalent in…