Dental Provider Perceptions and Interests in Food Insecurity Screening in Dental Settings

Results: The majority of women of reproductive age (80%) in Pakistan were deficient in vitamin D (< 20.0 ng/mL), with 26% exhibiting severe deficiency (< 8.0 ng/mL).Vitamin D deficiency was more prevalent in urban areas (84%) compared to rural areas (77%).Severe deficiency was also higher in urban areas (32%) than in rural areas (21%), potentially due to differences in lifestyle and sunlight exposure.Similarly, vitamin D deficiency was prevalent among children aged 6-59 months, with 63% having levels < 20.0 ng/mL and 13% showing severe deficiency (< 8.0 ng/mL).The prevalence was slightly higher among girls (63%) than boys (62%), with severe deficiency also higher in girls (13.5%) than boys (12.9%).Urban children had higher rates of deficiency (66%) than rural children (61%), with severe deficiency also more common in urban areas (15%) than in rural areas (12%).Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is alarmingly high among women of reproductive age and children aged 6-59 months in Pakistan, with particularly concerning rates of severe deficiency.These findings highlight the urgent need for public health interventions to raise awareness about vitamin D and promote supplementation, especially in urban areas where deficiency rates are higher.