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Islamic Attire and Health: Difference between revisions
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Since almost all the daily intake of Vitamin D is from sunlight, exposure there is significant concern for women who wear the burqa or "full hijab". This style of dress, leaving only a very small portion of skin around the eyes exposed, greatly reduces the surface area of the body which sunlight is exposed to and hence reduces the amount of Vitamin D synthesized. Such low rates of Vitamin D production will quickly exhaust the bodies excess emergency stores of Vitamin D contained in the fat and the person will likely go into a deficient state. | Since almost all the daily intake of Vitamin D is from sunlight, exposure there is significant concern for women who wear the burqa or "full hijab". This style of dress, leaving only a very small portion of skin around the eyes exposed, greatly reduces the surface area of the body which sunlight is exposed to and hence reduces the amount of Vitamin D synthesized. Such low rates of Vitamin D production will quickly exhaust the bodies excess emergency stores of Vitamin D contained in the fat and the person will likely go into a deficient state. | ||
Due to this reason, serious vitamin D deficiency is wide-spread in many Muslim majority countries. A study performed by doctors at King Fahd University Hospital in Saudi Arabia, showed that out of all 52 women tested, ''all'' had seriously deficient levels of Vitamin D and were at risk of many serious health problems, despite living in one of the sunniest places on the planet.<ref>Elsammak, M.Y., et al., Vitamin D deficiency in Saudi Arabs. Hormone and Metabolic Research, 2010. 42(5): p. 364-368.</ref> Furthermore, in a study undertaken in | Due to this reason, serious vitamin D deficiency is wide-spread in many Muslim majority countries. A study performed by doctors at King Fahd University Hospital in Saudi Arabia, showed that out of all 52 women tested, ''all'' had seriously deficient levels of Vitamin D and were at risk of many serious health problems, despite living in one of the sunniest places on the planet.<ref>Elsammak, M.Y., et al., Vitamin D deficiency in Saudi Arabs. Hormone and Metabolic Research, 2010. 42(5): p. 364-368.</ref> Furthermore, in a study undertaken in Jordan, 83.3% of women wearing the most covering style of Islamic dresses were found to be deficient in summer time. This is rather striking when compared to the fact only 18.2% of Jordanian men studied were found to be deficient.<ref>Mishal, A.A., Effects of Different Dress Styles on Vitamin D Levels in Healthy Young Jordanian Women. Osteoporosis International, 2001. 12(11): p. 931-935.</ref> Jordan, like Saudi Arabia, holds the distinction of being one of the sunniest places on the planet, so the effect of wearing the burqa on Vitamin D levels and health is profound. | ||
====Effect of Ethnicity and Migration==== | ====Effect of Ethnicity and Migration==== | ||
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This is further evidenced by numerous scientific studies. A study was undertaken in ''Dearborn, Michigan'', the most-concentrated Arab-American settlement in the United States to assess the relationship between Vitamin D levels and Islamic dress choice in migrant Arab-American Muslim women. The average vitamin D level was found to be 4 ng/ml in veiled women who undertook ''no'' vitamin D supplementation and 7 ng/ml in women who wore the same style veil but chose to take supplements.<ref>Hobbs, R., et al., Severe Vitamin D Deficiency in Arab-American Women Living in Dearborn, Michigan. Endocrine Practice, 2009. 15(1): p. 35-40.</ref> The threshold for rickets and osteomalacia risk is 8 ng/ml and below; clinical deficiency is considered as anything below 16 ng/ml.<ref>Heaney, PR. Functional indices of vitamin D status and ramifications of vitamin D deficiency. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2004; 80 : S1706 – S1709</ref> This illustrates a very serious health risk for migrant Muslim women who immigrate to such countries and wear the burqa. | This is further evidenced by numerous scientific studies. A study was undertaken in ''Dearborn, Michigan'', the most-concentrated Arab-American settlement in the United States to assess the relationship between Vitamin D levels and Islamic dress choice in migrant Arab-American Muslim women. The average vitamin D level was found to be 4 ng/ml in veiled women who undertook ''no'' vitamin D supplementation and 7 ng/ml in women who wore the same style veil but chose to take supplements.<ref>Hobbs, R., et al., Severe Vitamin D Deficiency in Arab-American Women Living in Dearborn, Michigan. Endocrine Practice, 2009. 15(1): p. 35-40.</ref> The threshold for rickets and osteomalacia risk is 8 ng/ml and below; clinical deficiency is considered as anything below 16 ng/ml.<ref>Heaney, PR. Functional indices of vitamin D status and ramifications of vitamin D deficiency. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2004; 80 : S1706 – S1709</ref> This illustrates a very serious health risk for migrant Muslim women who immigrate to such countries and wear the burqa. | ||
In the | In the United Kingdom, cases of rickets have been rare until recently. Cases of the disease have increased dramatically due to the growing Muslim population.<ref> | ||
{{Cite web|url= http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/rise-in-rickets-linked-to-ethnic-groups-that-shun-the-sun-2319920.html|title= Rise in rickets linked to ethnic groups that shun the sun|publisher= The Independent|author=Jeremy Laurance |date= July 25, 2011|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.co.uk%2Flife-style%2Fhealth-and-families%2Fhealth-news%2Frise-in-rickets-linked-to-ethnic-groups-that-shun-the-sun-2319920.html&date=2013-09-22|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= http://digitaljournal.com/article/316191|title= Rickets on the increase amongst British children|publisher= DigitalJournal|author= Katerina Nikolas|date= December 16, 2011|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaljournal.com%2Farticle%2F316191&date=2013-09-22|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1154211.stm|title= Rickets upsurge among UK Asians|publisher= BBC News|author= |date= February 5, 2001|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbc.co.uk%2F1%2Fhi%2Fhealth%2F1154211.stm&date=2013-09-22|deadurl=no}}</ref> | {{Cite web|url= http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/rise-in-rickets-linked-to-ethnic-groups-that-shun-the-sun-2319920.html|title= Rise in rickets linked to ethnic groups that shun the sun|publisher= The Independent|author=Jeremy Laurance |date= July 25, 2011|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.co.uk%2Flife-style%2Fhealth-and-families%2Fhealth-news%2Frise-in-rickets-linked-to-ethnic-groups-that-shun-the-sun-2319920.html&date=2013-09-22|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= http://digitaljournal.com/article/316191|title= Rickets on the increase amongst British children|publisher= DigitalJournal|author= Katerina Nikolas|date= December 16, 2011|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaljournal.com%2Farticle%2F316191&date=2013-09-22|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1154211.stm|title= Rickets upsurge among UK Asians|publisher= BBC News|author= |date= February 5, 2001|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbc.co.uk%2F1%2Fhi%2Fhealth%2F1154211.stm&date=2013-09-22|deadurl=no}}</ref> | ||
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==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
* [[Health]] | |||
* [[Hijab]] | |||
{{Translation-links-english|[[Последици за здравето от ислямското облекло|Bulgarian]], [[Wpływ muzułmańskiego stroju na zdrowie|Polish]], [[Efectos sobre la Salud de la Vestimenta Islámica|Spanish]], [[Zdravotní účinky islámského oděvu|Czech]]}} | {{Translation-links-english|[[Последици за здравето от ислямското облекло|Bulgarian]], [[Wpływ muzułmańskiego stroju na zdrowie|Polish]], [[Efectos sobre la Salud de la Vestimenta Islámica|Spanish]], [[Zdravotní účinky islámského oděvu|Czech]]}} | ||