**High Prevalence of Hypovitaminosis D in Institutionalized Elderly Individuals is Associated with Summer in a Region with High Ultraviolet Radiation Levels**

#### **Sara Estéfani S. Sousa 1, Márcia Cristina Sales 2, José Rodolfo T. Araújo 3, Karine C.M. Sena-Evangelista 1,4, Kenio C. Lima 3,5 and Lucia F.C. Pedrosa 1,3,4,\***


Received: 13 May 2019; Accepted: 1 July 2019; Published: 4 July 2019

**Abstract:** Vitamin D may play a significant role in regulating the rate of aging. The objective of the study was to assess vitamin D status and its associated factors in institutionalized elderly individuals. A total of 153 elderly individuals living in Nursing Homes (NH) were recruited into the study. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration was used as the biomarker of vitamin D status, and it was considered as the dependent variable in the model. The independent variables were the type of NH, age-adjusted time of institutionalization, age, sex, skin color, body mass index, waist and calf circumference, physical activity practice, mobility, dietary intake of vitamin D and calcium, vitamin D supplementation, use of antiepileptics, and season of the year. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations less than or equal to 29 ng/mL were classified as insufficient vitamin D status. The prevalences of inadequate dietary intake of vitamin D and calcium were 95.4% and 79.7%, respectively. The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was 71.2%, and the mean serum concentration of 25(OH)D was 23.9 ng/mL (95% confidence interval [CI]: 22.8–26.1). Serum 25(OH)D concentration was associated with the season of summer (*p* = 0.046). There were no associations with other independent variables (all *p* > 0.05). The present results showed that a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was significantly associated with summer in institutionalized elderly individuals.

**Keywords:** vitamin D; elderly individuals; nursing homes
