Vitamin D deficiency and childhood obesity: interactions, implications, and recommendations

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency and childhood obesity have been classified as epidemics throughout the world, and both share some common risk factors including poor diet and inactivity. Observational and clinical studies show that vitamin D status and fat mass are inversely correlated. It is not clear whether vitamin D deficiency contributes to, or is a consequence of obesity, or whether there are regulatory interactions between excess adiposity and vitamin D activity. The effects of this deficiency in childhood obesity appear to have negative influences on overall health, including insulin resistance, inflammation, and impeded bone mineralization, as well as increased future risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. The rather ubiquitous distribution of the vitamin D receptor and the 25-hydroxyvitamin D 1α-hydroxylase throughout the body, including evidence for a role of vitamin D in adipogenesis and adipocyte metabolism, may in part explain these widespread effects. Most of the findings to date suggest that the vitamin D needs of obese children are greater than the nonobese. Although ultraviolet B-induced skin synthesis is a main source of vitamin D, its use is neither feasible nor prudent due to limited sun availability for many and concerns for skin cancer. Likewise, obtaining adequate vitamin D from natural food sources alone is generally not achievable, and even in countries that allow fortification, vitamin D intakes are low. Therefore, in obese children, vitamin D supplementation is warranted. Weight loss interventions using energy restriction and physical activity may also improve the poor vitamin D status associated with obesity. More research is needed to define optimal vitamin D status in this vulnerable population, including investigations to determine the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in attenuating the conditions associated with childhood obesity, and to further elucidate the mechanisms by which vitamin D exerts its effects on health.

Relation of carbohydrate exchange markers with vitamin D status in adolescents with overweight and obesity

“…The study of systolic and diastolic blood pressure determined the differences in the group of adolescents with a sufficient vitamin D level in comparison with adolescents with insufficiency and vitamin D deficiency; however, these differences were not statistically significant, and there was no correlation with the 25(OH)D level in blood serum. The findings confirm the results of other researchers concerning the absence of probable differences in systolic and diastolic pressure in adolescents with obesity at different vitamin D levels in blood plasma [16].…”

Association between Fasting Glucose Concentration, Lipid Profile and 25(OH)D Status in Children Aged 9–11

“…The prevalence of obesity and vitamin D deficiency among children makes this population demographic especially vulnerable to the development of these two pervasive epidemics [ 1 ]. Research suggests an unhealthy diet coupled with a sedentary lifestyle has become the main causal factor affecting the development of obesity, which in turn is frequently accompanied by dyslipidemia.…”

Comparison of two different methods for routine 25(OH)D measurement in paediatric serum samples

“…An inverse correlation was found between fat mass and vitamin D status. Due to the increasing frequency of obesity and overweight among children and adolescents, the prevalence of parallel development of vitamin D insufficiency seems to be a real threat for health [5]. Vitamin D deficiency and obesity emerging in childhood have been classified as epidemics.…”

“…Both of them contribute to the development of serious diseases and also have common risk factors, which are inappropriate diet and lack of activity. To avoid developing impaired bone mineralisation and also to reduce the risk of developing diabetes type 1 and 2 or cardiovascular diseases, it is important to maintain optimal concentration of vitamin D [5].…”