Prevalence and Risk Factors of Vitamin D Deficiency Among Afghan Primary School Children

This study investigates Vitamin D deficiency among 510 primary school children in Kandahar, Afghanistan, between September 2022 and April 2023. The research finds that 85.5% of children had Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL), with 52.4% experiencing severe deficiency.

Key risk factors include older age (11–15 years), poverty, lack of outdoor physical activity, and less than 60 minutes of daily sunlight exposure. Despite Kandahar’s sunny climate, children remain highly deficient, increasing the risk of rickets and bone disorders. The study calls for Vitamin D fortification, supplementation, and public health education.

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