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Association between vitamin D deficiency and psychological distress in Korean adults: a population-based study
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Minyoung Baek
 , Jiyoung Jung, Hyojung Kang, Hyunah Kim
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Received February 15, 2026 Accepted May 29, 2026 Published online July 15, 2026
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.15747/ACNM.26.0047
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 Abstract
- Purpose
Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in Korea, but evidence on its association with psychological distress remains limited. This study examined the association between serum vitamin D levels and mental health outcomes, including psychological distress, depression, and anxiety, among Korean adults.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 4,712 adults aged ≥19 years from the 2022 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were classified as vitamin D-deficient (<20 ng/mL) or non-deficient (≥20 ng/mL). Psychological distress, depression, and anxiety were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and compared between groups. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios for these outcomes according to vitamin D status.
Results
The weighted prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 45.2%. In unadjusted analyses, psychological distress (11.2% vs. 8.5%; P=0.004) and anxiety (9.2% vs. 6.5%; P=0.005) were more prevalent in the deficient group. The unadjusted prevalence of psychological distress was also higher among women and adults aged 19–64 years with vitamin D deficiency. After adjustment, the associations were attenuated and were not statistically significant in the total population. In age-stratified models, vitamin D deficiency remained significantly associated with psychological distress in adults aged 19–64 years and ≥65 years and with anxiety in adults aged 19–64 years.
Conclusion
Although psychological distress was more prevalent in the vitamin D-deficient group before adjustment, the association was not statistically significant after covariate adjustment in the total population. Subgroup analyses showed higher unadjusted prevalences of psychological distress and anxiety among women with vitamin D deficiency. Adjusted models showed significant associations with psychological distress in both adults aged 19–64 years and those aged ≥65 years; however, the estimate for older adults had a wide confidence interval because of the small number of cases. These findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with selected mental health outcomes in specific subgroups, but longitudinal studies are needed to clarify temporality and confirm these associations.
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