Associations between abdominal fat and body mass index on vitamin D status in a group of Spanish schoolchildren

Abstract

Background/Objectives: To analyze the association between different anthropometric variables and vitamin D status in a group of Spanish schoolchildren. Subjects/Methods: Study subjects were 102 children aged 9-13 years. Records were made of their height, body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip measurements (to determine the quantity of visceral or abdominal fat), and the thickness of the tricipital and bicipital skinfold (to determine the quantity of subcutaneous fat). Diets were analyzed using a 3-day weighed food record and vitamin D intakes compared with those recommended. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were measured using chemiluminescent assay. Results: The mean serum 25(OH)D concentration was 49.6 ± 15.9 nmol/l. The mean serum 25(OH)D in the ID subjects (that is, those with insufficient vitamin D levels, 25(OH)D of o70 nmol/l) was 46.6 ± 13.4 nmol/l and in the AD subjects (that is, those with adequate vitamin D levels, 25(OH)D of X70 nmol/l) was 77.5 ± 8.4 nmol/l (Po0.001). No significant difference was observed between both groups in vitamin D intake. However, the ID subjects had higher body weight, BMI, waist measurement and waist/height ratio than the AD subjects. Using a multiple linear regression analysis, only weight and BMI were found to independently influence 25(OH)D values. Children with a body weight, BMI, bicipital skinfold thickness, waist measurement and waist/height ratio above the 50th percentile for each variable were at a greater risk of having a low serum 25(OH)D concentration (o70 nmol/l). Conclusions: BMI and abdominal obesity influence the appearance of vitamin D insufficiency in children.

Vitamin D deficiency and anthropometric indicators of adiposity in school-age children: a prospective study

“…Vitamin D affects lypolysis (8,9) and adipogenesis (10,11) in human adipocytes through its role in regulating intracellular calcium concentrations. Cross-sectional studies indicated that plasma 25(OH)D concentrations are inversely associated with body mass index (BMI; in kg/m 2 ) (12)(13)(14) and waist circumference (15,16) in children. However, the interpretation of these associations is limited because vitamin D can be sequestered out of the blood and into the larger adipose tissue mass of obese subjects because of its hydrophobic properties (17).…”

Determinants of vitamin D status in young children: results from the Belgian arm of the IDEFICS (Identification and Prevention of Dietary- and Lifestyle-Induced Health Effects in Children and Infants) Study

“…Additionally, different anthropometric variables have been shown to significantly influence vitamin D status. Recently, Rodríguez-Rodríguez et al (11) suggested that the amount of visceral and not subcutaneous fat determines the serum level of vitamin D in children (9-13 years old), but concluded that more studies are needed to test this hypothesis and to confirm their findings.…”

Low 25(OH)D3 levels are associated with total adiposity, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension in Caucasian children and adolescents

“…A significant association between 25(OH)D and CVD risk factors in children and adolescents would suggest that successful vitamin D supplementation has the potential to improve CVD risk markers and to lower the risk of CVD in adulthood. However, compared with adults, the associations between vitamin D and MetS as well as its individual CVD risk factors have not been fully explored in children (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27). We therefore conducted a crosssectional study to examine the association of serum vitamin D levels with the MetS, its individual components, and early atherosclerotic abnormalities in a large sample of Italian overweight/obese and normalweight children and adolescents.…”