Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its determinants in Australian adults aged 25 years and older: a national, population-based study

Objective Vitamin D deficiency is recognized as a global public health problem, but the population‐based prevalence of deficiency and its determinants in Australian adults is not known. This study evaluated the vitamin D status of Australian adults aged ≥25 years and risk factors associated with vitamin D deficiency in this population. Design and Patients We studied a national sample of 11 247 Australian adults enrolled in the 1999/2000 Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) study drawn from 42 randomly selected districts throughout Australia. Measurements Serum concentrations of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were measured by immunoassay. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as a concentration