Background/Aims: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent worldwide and has been linked to many diseases. The aims of the present study were to assess the vitamin D status of Jordanians at the national level and to identify groups of the population at high risk for vitamin D deficiency. Methods: Vitamin D status was assessed in a national sample of 5,640 subjects aged ≧7 years. The study involved interviews, laboratory measurements of 25(OH)D and others, and physical measurements. The present report deals, exclusively, with subjects aged >18 years. Results: The prevalence of low vitamin D status [25(OH)D <30 ng/ml] was 37.3% in females compared to 5.1% in males. Dress style in females was independently related to low vitamin D status; women wearing ‘Hijab’ (adjusted OR = 1.7, p = 0.004) or ‘Niqab’ (adjusted OR = 1.5, p = 0.061) were at a higher risk for low vitamin D status than were western-dressed women. Conclusion: The high prevalence of low vitamin D status in females in contrast with a low prevalence in males, together with a higher prevalence in women wearing Hijab or Neqab, calls for action to increase the population’s awareness and to develop strategies to reduce this risk among women, particularly those wearing dress styles that cover most or all of their skin.

ObjectivesTo determine cutoff values for body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) as indicators of metabolic abnormalities in the adult Jordanian population.MethodsA structured questionnaire was administered to collect relevant information. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical measurements were carried out. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses were used to examine the overall discriminatory power of the four anthropometric indices.ResultsWC cutoff values varied from 88.5 to 91.8 cm in men and from 84.5 to 88.5 cm in women. The BMI cutoff values varied from 26.2 to 27.2 kg/m2 in men and from 27.2 to 30.0 kg/m2 in women. The WHR cutoff values varied from 0.88 to 0.90 in men and from 80.0 to 0.83 in women. The WHtR cutoff values varied from 0.50 to 0.51 in men and women. Of all anthropometric indices, WHtR had the strongest association with each metabolic abnormality in men and women.ConclusionBMI, WC, WHR, and WHtR were found to be associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors, with WHtR being the better predictor. We recommend that health care professionals use WHtR, with a cutoff value of 0.5 for screening and counseling Jordanian people.

The factor analysis of cardiovascular risk clustering in Jordanian children and adolescents suggests that multiple factors account for the clustering of the metabolic syndrome components. Obesity accounts for the maximum variance in clustering and appears to be a more powerful correlate of cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents.

Evidence of the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and metabolic syndrome (MeS) remains uncertain and incongruent. This study aimed to determine the association between 25(OH)D and MeS among Jordanian adults. A complex multistage sampling technique was used to select a national population-based household sample. The present report deals exclusively with adults aged > 18 years who had complete information on all components of MeS (n = 3,234). A structured questionnaire was used to collect all relevant information. Anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory measurements were obtained. MeS was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definition. Of the total, 42.0% had MeS and 31.7% had 25(OH)D < 30 ng/ml. In a stratified analysis, the prevalence of MeS did not differ significantly between subjects with low and normal 25(OH)D levels for men and women in all age groups. In the multivariate analysis, the odds of MeS were not significantly different between subjects with low and normal 25(OH)D levels (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.70, 1.05, P-value = 0.133). The association between 25(OH)D and MeS remained non-significant when 25(OH)D was analyzed as a continuous variable (OR = 1.004, 95% CI; 1.000, 1.008, P = 0.057) and when analyzed based on quartiles. None of the individual components of MeS were significantly associated with 25(OH)D level. This study does not provide evidence to support the association between 25(OH)D level and MeS or its individual components. Prospective studies are necessary to better determine the roles of 25(OH)D levels in the etiology of MeS.

A relatively high proportion of Jordanian children and adolescents had overweight or obesity. Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents were associated with increased odds of metabolic abnormalities and their clustering. Programs addressing eating behavior and physical activity of children and adolescents to maintain a healthy weight are needed in Jordan.