Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Factors Among Adult Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-sectional Study in Central Uganda

Background: Individuals with diabetes are at heightened risk of low vitamin D status, yet data describing the extent of this problem and its contributing factors in Uganda are scarce. This study estimated the burden of vitamin D deficiency and identified factors linked to its occurrence among adult diabetic patients receiving care at a hospital in Central Uganda. Methodology: In this hospital-based cross-sectional study, 196 adult diabetic patients attending care at a hospital in Central Uganda were enrolled. Interviewer-administered questionnaires captured each participant’s socio-demographic profile, clinical background, and lifestyle habits. Body weight, height, and waist circumference were measured with calibrated equipment following standardized anthropometric procedures. Venous blood samples were drawn to determine serum vitamin D concentration. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression were applied to identify factors linked to vitamin D deficiency, with a two-sided P < .05 taken as statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 37.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 30.7%–44.3%). On multivariable analysis controlling for potential confounders, sleeping fewer than 5 hours nightly (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.92; 95% CI: 1.56–15.45; P = .006), sleeping 5–7 hours (aOR = 2.66; 95% CI: 1.06–6.73; P = .038), alcohol use (aOR = 2.82; 95% CI: 1.29–6.15; P = .009), and diabetic retinopathy (aOR = 5.25; 95% CI: 1.03–26.71; P = .046) each showed a significant association with vitamin D deficiency. Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent, affecting more than a third of the diabetic patients studied. Short sleep duration, alcohol use, and diabetic retinopathy each showed an independent association with vitamin D deficiency.