Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 37 Supple 2 2008 12 15 72 78 R Heshmat Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran K Mohammad Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Scien SR Majdzadeh Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Scien MH Forouzanfar Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Scien A Bahrami Dept. of Internal Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran GH Ranjbar Omrani Endocrine & Metabolism Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran I Nabipour Dept. of Internal Medicine, Boushehr University of Medical Sciences, Iran R Rajabian Dept. of Internal Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran A Hossein-Nezhad Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran M Rezaei Hemami Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran AA Keshtkar Dept .of Social Medicine, Medical School, Gholestan University of Medical Sciences, Iran M Pajouhi Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran 2015 10 03 Background: Recent studies have reported different prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in different sex and age groups in de­veloping countries. In the present survey, we elucidated the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in a multi-center study among Iranian population.  Methods: In a random cluster sample of healthy men and women (ranged 20 to 69 years old), a number of 5232 subjects from five urban metropolitans' cities (Tehran, Tabriz, Mashhad, Shiraz and Booshehr) were recruited in 2001. Fasting blood sam­ple was taken from participants and sent to the laboratory for measurement of 25-hydroxy vitamin D level. Meta-analy­sis was performed using fixed effect method for estimation of vitamin D deficiency prevalence in a national level.       Results: Moderate to severe vitamin D deficiency was estimated in urban areas (except for Booshehr because of its heterogene­ity) equal to 47.2, 45.7 and 44.2% in age groups of <50, 50-60 and 60≤ years, respectively among men and 54.2, 41.2 and 37.5 percent among women in the same age groups. The highest prevalence of moderate to severe vitamin D defi­ciency in men was observed in Tehran. Mashhad and Booshehr had also the lowest prevalence of moderate to severe vita­min D deficiency among men and women. Conclusion: Iran is a country with high prevalence of moderate to severe vitamin D deficiency and the prevalence of this defi­ciency is more evident in Tehran, capital of Iran. Therefore, consideration of main predictors for vitamin D deficiency in all age groups especially in Tehran is recommended.    https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/2901