Association of vitamin D insufficiency and low physical activity with fatigue, headaches and psychological distress in college students, North-Mediterranean Croatia – a pilot study

The aim of the study was to investigate serum vitamin D level in undergraduate students of health studies and its relationship with the frequency of vitamin D rich food consumption, sun exposure, study-related fatigue, headache and psychopathological status, and the relationship of the latter three parameters with the type of physical activity. A blood level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM), nutrition and physical activity were surveyed in randomly chosen students. Study results showed that 49% of students had 25(OH)D insufficiency/deficiency. The MIDAS values were higher in the insufficient/ deficient group (p=0.035) and were associated with hours of weekly cardio exercises (r=-0.48, p=0.031). CORE-OM and total fatigue correlated with 25(OH)D (r=-0.59, p=0.024; r=0.51, p=0.023). Students with sufficient 25(OH)D had a significantly higher vitamin D intake by consuming sardines in their monthly nutrition (p=0.048). 25(OH)D correlated with the amount of monthly consumed sardines (r=0.59, p=0.006) in general. Our results provide initial evidence that an appropriate lifestyle along with proper physical activity, especially cardio exercise, and vitamin D rich nutrition is important to reduce fatigue, headaches and psychological distress.
Cilj ove studije bio je ispitati vitamin D u serumu kod studenata prijediplomskog zdravstvenog studija i njegovu povezanost s učestalošću konzumacije hrane bogate vitaminom D, izlaganjem suncu, umorom vezanim za studiranje, glavoboljom i psihopatološkim statusom, te posljednja tri s vrstom tjelesne aktivnosti. Razina 25-hidroksivitamina D (25-OHD-a) u krvi, procjena nesposobnosti vezane za migrenu (Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS)), kakvoće života vezane za umor (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale), psihopatološkog statusa (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (COREOM)), načina prehrane i tjelesne aktivnosti ispitani su kod nasumice izabranih studenata. Rezultati studije su pokazali da je 49% studenata imalo nedostatak/manjak 25-OHD-a . Vrijednosti MIDAS-a bile su veće u skupini s nedostatkom/manjkom (p =0.035) i bile su povezane su sa satima tjednih kardio-vježbi (r = -0,48, p =0,031). CORE-OM i ukupni umor korelirali su s 25-OHD-a (r = -0,59, p =0,024; r =0,51, p =0,023). Studenti s dovoljno 25- OHD-a imali su značajno veći unos vitamina D konzumirajući srdele u svojoj mjesečnoj prehrani (p =0,048); 25-OHD je korelirao s količinom mjesečno pojedenih srdela (r =0,59, p =0,006). Naši rezultati pružaju početne dokaze o tome kako je pravilan način života ispunjen pravilnom tjelesnom aktivnošću, posebno kardio-vježbanjem, i prehranom bogatom vitaminom D važan za smanjenje umora, glavobolje i psiholoških tegoba.