Project 170992
Does low Vitamin D status of older Canadians predict functional decline?
Does low Vitamin D status of older Canadians predict functional decline?
Project Information
| Study Type: | Observational Cohort_Study |
| Therapeutic Area: | Geriatrics |
| Research Theme: | Social / Cultural / Environmental / Population Health |
| Disease Area: | aging |
| Data Type: | Canadian |
Institution & Funding
| Principal Investigator(s): | Gray-Donald, Katherine A |
| Co-Investigator(s): | Payette, Hélène; Weiler, Hope A |
| Institution: | McGill University |
| CIHR Institute: | Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes |
| Program: | |
| Peer Review Committee: | Nutrition, Food & Health |
| Competition Year: | 2008 |
| Term: | 2 yrs 0 mth |
Abstract Summary
Several studies have studied vitamin D status and functional decline in the elderly, but the results have been very inconclusive. In people (usually institutionalized sick elderly who have very low levels of vitamin D in their blood) there is a benefit from supplementation with vitamin D. As most elderly people in Canada, however, are healthy and live at home, get outdoors and eat well, their vitamin D levels are not usually severely compromised but we have found that over 50% of our Quebec healthy community dwelling elderly population have suboptimal vitamin D levels warranting further examination. From existing data on a large group of healthy elderly Quebecers whom we have followed over 3 years and measured declines in their functional status we will study whether optimal Vitamin D status protects against functional decline in a healthy aging population.
Research Characteristics
This project includes the following research characteristics:
Study Justification
"From existing data on a large group of healthy elderly Quebecers whom we have followed over 3 years and measured declines in their functional status we will study whether optimal Vitamin D status protects against functional decline in a healthy aging population."
Novelty Statement
"From existing data on a large group of healthy elderly Quebecers whom we have followed over 3 years and measured declines in their functional status we will study whether optimal Vitamin D status protects against functional decline in a healthy aging population."
Methodology Innovation
using an existing longitudinal cohort of healthy elderly to study the association between vitamin D status and functional decline