Knowledge, attitudes and practices related to vitamin D in young adults in rural Sri Lankan settings.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be synthesized in the skin upon sunlight exposure. Proper Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) related to vitamin D are essential to achieve optimum vitamin D status in the community. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the KAP related to vitamin D among young adults in a selected rural area in Sri Lanka. A total of 120 young male (n = 56) and female (n = 64) adults were recruited from a rural setting in Sri Lanka. Sociodemographic information and KAP related to vitamin D were gathered using questionnaires. A scoring system was used to analyze the KAP questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software. The mean KAP scores were 42.1 ± 13.3, 79.6 ± 8.9, and 65.6 ± 8.5, respectively, indicating poor knowledge, good attitudes and moderate level of practices related to vitamin D. Knowledge about vitamin D was significantly associated with the education level of the participants (p = 0.037). Attitudes were significantly associated with age (p < 0.0001), which older participants demonstrated more positive attitudes towards vitamin D. Practices were associated with gender (p = 0.001), indicating male participants had more sunlight exposure than female participants. In conclusion, this study revealed that many young adults in rural Sri Lankan settings exhibited poor knowledge, good attitudes, and moderate practices related to vitamin D. Nutrition education programs focused on behavior change are recommended to improve vitamin D-related knowledge in rural communities in Sri Lanka.