Prevalence and selected predictors of vitamin D deficiency among children and adolescents attending primary health care centers: A cross-sectional record-based study, Qatar.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is increasingly recognized as a significant public health issue, with far-reaching effects on bone health and overall well-being, especially among children and adolescents. Results: Findings revealed that infants (under 1 year) and children aged 1-4 years had the lowest rates of severe deficiency at 3.8% and 3.4% respectively. The prevalence increased with age, reaching 40% among adolescents (10-17 years). Females had significantly higher rates of severe deficiency (30.4%) compared to males (15.3%).Multivariate logistic regression identified age, sex, and nationality as significant predictors. Adolescents were 17 times more likely to have a severe deficiency compared to children under 5 years. Females had a 2.4-fold increased risk, and individuals from Southern Asia had a 5.7-fold higher risk compared to other nationalities. Conclusion: This study highlights a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among adolescents in Qatar, particularly among females and certain ethnic groups. To address this emerging health issue in the pediatric population, targeted interventions, such as awareness campaigns, supplementation programs, and policy-level strategies, are essential.