Vitamin D may play a role in the development of depression. This is particularly relevant for the population of northern territories due to living in conditions of limited exposure to sunlight.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the relationship between vitamin D level and the severity of depressive states in elderly people in the European North of Russia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study, conducted in 2023, involved 526 randomly selected residents of Arkhangelsk aged 60—74 years. Participants were divided into tertiles by the vitamin D levels: low, medium and high. The presence of depressive disorder signs was defined as ≥14 scores on the Beck’s depression inventory. A logistic regression analysis with correction for socio-economic and behavioral factors was performed to assess the relationship between the vitamin D and depression.

RESULTS

The median vitamin D level among participants amounted to 20.9 ng/ml. The prevalence of depression signs (14.2%) was higher among participants with the lowest vitamin D level (2.7—17.1 ng/ml) compared to participants with the medium (17.2—24.5 ng/ml) and high (24.6—104.7 ng/ml) levels (6.9% in both groups). The odds of depression signs’ presence were 53% lower in subjects with medium (OR=0.47, 95% CI 0.22—0.99) and 55% lower in subjects with high vitamin D level (OR=0.45, 95% CI 0.21—0.94) compared to participants with low vitamin D level considering correction for sex, age, marital status, employment, financial difficulties and cognitive impairment.

CONCLUSION

The obtained data show a significant inverse relationship between the vitamin D level and depressive symptoms in elderly people in the European North of Russia. Provision of adequate vitamin D level through taking dietary supplements can be an effective approach to improving mental health and ensuring healthy longevity in elderly people of the North.