Bahram Faraji* and Joycelyn Peterson

Morgan State University, Department of Public and Allied Health, Nutritional Science Program, Baltimore, USA

*Corresponding Author: Bahram Faraji, Morgan State University, Department of Public and Allied Health, Nutritional Science Program, Baltimore, USA.

Received: November 21, 2024; Published: December 05, 2024

Abstract

Purpose: To determine students’ vitamin D and iron nutritional status in a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) insti tution based on their blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and ferritin.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 100 students were recruited by announcements at the Morgan State University websites, bul letin boards, and face-to-face classes. Each student made an appointment and came in to complete a health and nutrition question naire, a food frequency questionnaire for fruit and vegetable intake, anthropometrics, and a blood draw. Blood samples used in this study were drawn during the months of January to May (winter/spring) for a parent study, and plasma was analyzed for 25-hydroxy vitamin D (for vitamin D nutritional status) and ferritin (for iron nutritional status). Descriptive analysis determined the number and percentage of vitamin D and iron-deficient individuals.

Results: Plasma 25-hydroxy vitamin D among males (N = 32) was 21.6 ± 7.0 ng/ml (Mean ± SD), and among females (N = 67) was 19.7 ± 12.2. Based on plasma 25-hydroxy vitamin D ≤ 20 ng/ml (cut point for deficiency), 37.5% of males and 58.2% of females were considered deficient in vitamin D, respectively. Plasma ferritin among males (N = 32) was 32.8 ± 16.9 ng/ml, and among females (N = 67) was 19.0 ± 13.8 ng/ml. Based on plasma ferritin ≤ 25 ng/ml (cut point for deficiency), 25.0% of males and 50.7% of females were considered deficient in iron, respectively.

Conclusion: Many participants detected low or deficient levels of vitamin D and iron. It is important to emphasize the essential role of these two micronutrients in health and well-being and help college-aged students improve their nutritional status by teaching them in introductory nutrition courses and through on-campus communication. At Morgan State University, we offer an Introduction to Nutrition course as a general education course, which is also very popular among students (400 - 500 students enrolled in several sections each semester) from all majors, including health-related fields of study.

Keywords: Vitamin D Status; Iron Status; College Students; Blacks/African Americans

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Citation

Citation: Bahram Faraji and Joycelyn Peterson. “Vitamin D and Iron Nutritional Status of Black/African American College Students". Acta Scientific Nutritional Health 9.1 (2025): 03-06.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Bahram Faraji and Joycelyn Peterson. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.