Food-based Solutions for Optimal Vitamin D Nutrition and Health Through the Life Cycle (ODIN)

Insufficient intake of vitamin D is a public health problem, affecting about 40% of the Finnish population in the winter. Vitamin D has a wide range of health effects: in addition to its effect on bone, it is known to affect inflammatory response among other things. The sources of vitamin D are the synthesis in the skin as well as diet and dietary supplements. In Finland and in Northern Europe vitamin D is formed in the skin only from March to October. This alone is not sufficient to cover the need for year-round, because vitamin D storage is used in a few months. During the winter months the only sources of vitamin D are diet and vitamin preparations. Current vitamin D recommendations are usually based on studies in white population. However, there can be a difference in the need of vitamin D and in vitamin D metabolism between different population groups. More research evidence is needed from the northern countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate the vitamin D need in Somali immigrant population and in original Finnish population. The hypothesis is that the Somalis need more vitamin D to exceed the serum 25(OH)D concentration of 50 nmol/L than the original Finnish population.