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Topical Area: Community and Public Health Nutrition

Community and Public Health Nutrition (Poster Session)

(P24-073-23) The Differences Between Vitamin D Intake Status of Older Americans in Lower- and Higher-Socioeconomic Status

Monday, July 24, 2023
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM ET
Location: Poster Board 482

    Presenting Author(s)

  • ML

    Mary Cris M. Lebig, BS

    Dietetic Intern/Graduate Student
    University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
    Bryant, Arkansas, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • WL

    Wei Li, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
    Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Disclosure(s):
Wei Li, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Low socioeconomic status (SES) may be a contributing factor to inadequate (less than 15mcg per day) dietary vitamin D intake in older adults. Biological sex may also affect the risk of vitamin D inadequacy. The aims of this study were two-fold: 1) to determine whether vitamin D intake levels differ between geriatric populations of high versus low socioeconomic status. 2) to compare vitamin D intake levels between male and female senior citizens.

Methods: We used dietary vitamin D intake data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017–2018 to compare the prevalence of inadequate vitamin D intake between older adults ages 65 and older with high SES and low SES. We also compared dietary vitamin D intake between males and females in the target age group.

Results: The elderly population (65 and older) with low SES is trending towards having lower dietary vitamin D intake compared to those with high SES (p=0.052). We also found that elderly males have significantly higher dietary vitamin D intake than elderly females (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: This study’s population in general, regardless of socioeconomic status and gender, have inadequate daily vitamin D intake. Thus, Americans of ages 65 and older may be at risk for inadequate vitamin D intake, with elderly women at higher risk than men. Our findings illustrate the importance of promoting adequate vitamin D intake in elderly Americans, especially in elderly women.

Funding Sources: This research is supported by the Department of Dietetics & Nutrition at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.