• Binaya Tamang, Buddhi Raj Pokhrel, Jharana Shrestha, Narayan Gautam, and Binit Kumar Sharma.
• Department of Biochemistry, Universal College of Medical Sciences and Teaching Hospital, Bhairahawa, Rupandehi, Nepal.
• JNMA J Nepal Med Assoc. 2023 Nov 1; 61 (267): 864867864-867.

IntroductionHypovitaminosis D is a global public health problem affecting approximately one billion people, with a particularly high prevalence in South Asia. Several hospital-based studies from Nepal show a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D. However, large-scale community-based studies are lacking. The aim of the study was to find out the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D among blood samples of patients presenting to the Department of Biochemistry of a tertiary care centre.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among blood samples of patients presenting to the Department of Biochemistry of a tertiary care centre from 3 November 2022 to 30 April 2023 after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: 136/22). Patients of all age groups and genders who were sent for the evaluation of Vitamin D at the laboratory were included. A convenience sampling technique was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval.ResultsOut of 376 patients, hypovitaminosis was seen in 274 (72.87%) (68.38-77.36, 95% Confidence Interval). Vitamin D insufficiency was present in 252 (91.97%) and vitamin D deficiency was present in 22 (8.03%) participants.ConclusionsThe prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was found to be higher than other studies done in similar settings.Keywordsprevalence; vitamin D; vitamin D deficiency.

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