Table 1

Distribution of vitamin D levels and prevalence of vitamin D deficiency by obesity status, season and the genetic risk scores in the UK Biobank

 Vitamin D (SD), nmol/LVitamin D deficiency, %
Gene score8.4 (8.2 to 8.6)*2.5 (2.4 to 2.6)†
 1st quartile45.6 (19.0)‡14§
 4th quartile54.0 (22.5)‡29§
Obesity−8.7 (−8.9 to −8.5)*2.5 (2.4 to 2.6)†
 Normal BMI53.0 (21.9)16
 BMI ≥30 kg/m2 44.3 (19.2)32
Season17.1 (17.3 to 16.9)*17.1 (16.3 to 18.0)†¶
 Winter41.4 (19.1)42
 Summer58.6 (19.5)4

  • *Mean difference (95% CIs) from Welch’s two-sample t-test.

  • †ORs (95% CIs) from Fisher’s exact test.

  • ‡A higher vitamin D level score represents a genetic predisposition to higher vitamin D levels.

  • §A higher vitamin D deficiency score represents a greater risk for vitamin D deficiency.

  • ¶OR is in the direction of winter.

  • BMI, body mass index.