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. 2021 Mar 9;151(4):999–1007. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa426

TABLE 3.

Factors associated with serum 25(OH)D (nmol/L) in older Puerto Rican adults living in Massachusetts

Model
1 (n = 822) 2 (n = 822) 3 (n = 618)
β ± SE P β ± SE P β ± SE P
Age 0.12 ± 0.09 0.17 0.11 ± 0.09 0.21 0.13 ± 0.10 0.20
Female (vs. male) 3.48 ± 1.56 0.03 4.03 ± 1.58 0.01 4.68 ± 1.78 0.01
BMI –0.24 ± 0.10 0.02 –0.21 ± 0.10 0.04 –0.21 ± 0.12 0.08
Physical activity1 –0.15 ± 0.14 0.27 –0.10 ± 0.14 0.45 –0.16 ± 0.16 0.31
Dietary vitamin D,2 μg/d 0.68 ± 0.25 0.01 0.71 ± 0.25 0.004 1.05 ± 0.29 <0.001
Vitamin D supplement use (vs. no) 4.41 ± 1.86 0.02 4.50 ± 1.87 0.02 3.13 ± 2.15 0.15
Multivitamin use (vs. no) 1.94 ± 1.45 0.18 2.30 ± 1.46 0.12 2.88 ± 1.64 0.08
Calcium supplement use (vs. no) 2.89 ± 1.71 0.09 2.67 ± 1.73 0.12 1.68 ± 1.97 0.39
Plasma creatinine, mg/dL 5.37 ± 2.43 0.03 5.49 ± 2.45 0.03 4.86 ± 2.71 0.07
Plasma albumin, g/L –0.14 ± 0.19 0.46 –0.15 ± 0.19 0.42 –0.12 ± 0.24 0.63
Smoking (vs. no) –4.34 ± 1.58 0.01 –4.49 ± 1.58 0.01 –3.60 ± 1.84 0.05
Acculturation3 0.02 ± 0.03 0.60 0.02 ± 0.03 0.64 0.02 ± 0.04 0.65
Sunscreen –0.78 ± 1.39 0.58 –0.33 ± 1.41 0.82 –0.81 ± 1.60 0.61
Season (vs. Autumn)
 Winter –3.81 ± 1.91 0.05 –3.44 ± 1.92 0.07 –3.42 ± 2.17 0.12
 Spring –5.07 ± 1.67 0.003 –4.66 ± 1.68 0.01 –5.60 ± 1.94 0.004
 Summer –0.47 ± 1.64 0.78 –0.13 ± 1.65 0.94 –0.59 ± 1.92 0.76
Months in PRSC4 0.96 ± 0.56 0.09 1.07 ± 0.57 0.06 1.83 ± 0.66 0.01
Income to poverty ratio5 0.01 ± 0.01 0.06 0.01 ± 0.01 0.06 0.02 ± 0.01 0.02
Alcohol (vs. none)
 Moderate –0.98 ± 1.38 0.48 –1.36 ± 1.38 0.33 –1.01 ± 1.58 0.52
 Heavy –3.84 ± 3.01 0.20 –4.39 ± 3.02 0.15 –6.47 ± 3.57 0.07
Skin tone (vs. white)
 Dark –5.09 ± 2.19 0.02
 Medium –5.89 ± 1.58 <0.001
 Light –0.12 ± 1.71 0.94
Ancestry (vs. European)
 Native American –4.37 ± 5.43 0.42
 African –7.74 ± 2.91 0.01
Melanin index of the upper inner right arm6 –2.04 ± 0.84 0.02
1

Physical activity score was estimated based on sum of hours spent sleeping or in sedentary, light, moderate, or heavy activities in a 24-h period, multiplied by weighing factors associated with oxygen consumption rates for corresponding activities (range: 24.5–60.5).

2

Adjusted for energy using the residual method; all models repeated with vitamin D intake not adjusted for energy intake remained significant (P < 0.05).

3

Acculturation, 100% fully accultured speak fluent English for all interactions, whereas 0% speak only Spanish (range: 0–95.8).

4

Months lived in Puerto Rico or other southern climate in the past year.

5

Income to poverty ratio was calculated using total household income divided by poverty threshold for the specific year and household size (39) (range: 1.77–1520).

6

Melanin index of the upper inner right arm was estimated from the mean of 3 measurements of melanin concentration at the upper inner right arm (range: 0.58–10.9); the model repeated with this measure at the forehead remained significant (P < 0.05), but at the hand, significance was lost (P = 0.22).

PRSC, Puerto Rico or other southern climate.