ИСТИНА

Objectives. To assess the D-vitamin status of various groups of the Russian population (rural residents, urban population of different ages), and consider the prospects for enriching their diets with vitamin D through alternative or little-used food sources. Methods. 10 630 people were examined, including rural and urban children, as well as the adult population of rural and urban regions. The content of 25 (OH) D in blood serum was determined throughout the year in different geographic latitudes of the regions of the groups’ residence. Results It was shown that regardless of the geographical latitude of the region of the groups’ residence the content of 25(OH)D in the blood serum decreases during the winter period, reaching a minimum in February, and increases by August-October. In non-Arctic regions (45-65° N), rural children outperform urban peers in the concentration of 25 (OH) D in blood serum; in adults, no consistent differences were found between urban and rural samples. In urban dwellers at high latitudes (65 + ° N), the content and age dynamics of the 25 (OH) D level are similar to those characteristic of the inhabitants of the temperate zone. In the rural aboriginal population of the Arctic, the consumption of traditional products (in particular, reindeer venison) is associated with a high content of 25(OH)D throughout the year. Conclusions. We believe that a promising direction for optimizing the D-vitamin status of the modern «westernized» population is the expansion of the range of food products with an initially high vitamin D content, as well as the enrichment of food products with ergo- and cholecalciferol. Products rich in vitamin D from marine hunting and reindeer husbandry are unlikely to be widely used due to the geographically local nature of their sources. An alternative or supplement can be natural plant producers of D2: yeast, algae, lichens and fungi. According to the results of the analysis, lichens and algae are the most important natural sources of vitamin D. They can be used both to enrich food products aimed at various population groups, and as additives in feed mixtures intended for industrial aquaculture and industrial animal husbandry.