Assessment of the Relationship between the Presence of Vitamin D-Containing Foods in the Diet of Young People and the Development of Allergic Diseases

A significant part of vitamin D, which is necessary for important vital processes, a person receives with food. Vitamin D affects the proper functioning of the lungs and the immune system, which can be important in the development, severity and course of allergic diseases (asthma, eczema and food allergies). The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the presence of vitamin D-containing foods in the diets of young people and the appearance of allergic diseases symptoms. The study is a cross-sectional descriptive survey of 223 first-year students of the Kharkiv State University of Food Technology and Trade (Ukraine). Using questionnaires, the frequency of consumption and food preferences were assessed in relation to 22 vitamin D-containing foods and for the screening of allergic diseases. The analysis of the results shows that the consumption of foods rich in vitamin D is at a lower level than the respondents’ desire to consume them. It is revealed that the main food source of vitamin D is chicken eggs. This fact speaks in favor of the fact that young people in Ukraine experience a certain lack of vitamin D. The analysis of questionnaires for screening for allergic diseases shows that, depending on the year of the survey, about 69% of the respondents had symptoms of allergic diseases. The survey suggests that foods rich in vitamin D are not among the preferences of young people. As a consequence, there is a definite relationship between the presence of vitamin D deficiency in young people and a high percentage of respondents with allergic diseases symptoms.