BackgroundEmerging evidence indicates that there is an association between vitamin D and obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the level of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] in the elderly is influenced by parameters of anthropometry and body composition independent of potential confounding lifestyle factors and the level of serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH).MethodsCross-sectional data of 131 independently living participants (90 women, 41 men; aged 66–96 years) of the longitudinal study on nutrition and health status in senior citizens of Giessen, Germany were analysed. Concentrations of 25(OH)D3 and iPTH were ascertained by an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Body composition was measured by a bioelectrical impedance analysis. We performed univariate and multiple regression analyses to examine the influence of body composition on 25(OH)D3 with adjustments for age, iPTH and lifestyle factors.ResultsIn univariate regression analyses, 25(OH)D3 was associated with body mass index (BMI), hip circumference and total body fat (TBF) in women, but not in men. Using multiple regression analyses, TBF was shown to be a negative predictor of 25(OH)D3 levels in women even after controlling for age, lifestyle and iPTH (ß = −0.247; P = 0.016), whereas the associations between BMI, hip circumference and 25(OH)D3 lost statistical significance after adjusting for iPTH. In men, 25(OH)D3 was not affected by anthropometric or body composition variables.ConclusionsThe results indicate that 25(OH)D3 levels are affected by TBF, especially in elderly women, independent of lifestyle factors and iPTH.

Objectives To investigate tooth wear in young adults, intraoral scanning was used for digital monitoring of the mandibular first molar over 12 months. A possible influence of aetiological factors obtained by a questionnaire on tooth wear was investigated. Materials and methods A total of 109 participants (mean age at the start of the study: 21.0 ± 2.2 years) were included in this clinical study. At baseline (T0), an intraoral scan (Trios 3, 3Shape) of the study tooth (FDI # 36 or #46) was conducted. After a mean observation period of 373 ± 19 days, a second intraoral scan (T1, n = 94) of the same tooth as at T0 was performed and standard tessellation language datasets were superimposed with 3D analysis software (GOM Inspect). The occlusal surface of the study tooth was divided into 7 areas (5 cusps, 2 ridges) and maximum vertical substance loss was measured between T0 and T1 (n = 91). Three types of tooth wear were defined: cupping (C), facet (F) and combined cupping-facet (CF). Furthermore, a questionnaire on aetiological factors, such as dietary behaviour, was filled out at T0. Data were analysed with non-parametric tests (p < 0.05). Results Only one study tooth exhibited no tooth wear at T0, whereas 3 teeth showed C, 47 teeth F and 40 teeth CF. A progression of vertical substance loss for all three types was shown. Most affected were the mesiobuccal cusps (43, 38/47 µm; median, 95%CI) followed by distobuccal (36, 33/39 µm), mesiolingual (35, 26/40 µm), distolingual (34, 27/36 µm) and distal (31, 25/34 µm). On mesial and distal ridges, only F was detected with the lowest vertical substance loss of all areas (mesial ridge: 0, 0/0 µm; distal ridge: 0, 0/0 µm). An association between aetiological factors and loss values could not be shown. Conclusions All study teeth showed clear signs of wear, and after only 1 year, further substance loss was detectable. This result is of significance for young adults. Clinical relevance Since data of young adults regarding tooth wear are scarce, the results give a first idea of the amount of vertical loss per year and its relation to aetiological factors such as dietary behaviour. Therefore, further studies over a longer observation period are highly recommended.

The lower vitamin C plasma concentrations in elderly men compared with elderly women can partly be attributed to a volumetric dilution effect due to differences in fat-free mass Abstract Women show higher vitamin C plasma concentrations than men, but the reasons for this observation still require elucidation. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether sex differences in vitamin C plasma concentrations are present in elderly subjects and whether these differences are due to sex-specific lifestyles, total antioxidant status (TAOS) and/or body composition. Fasting plasma concentrations of vitamin C were assessed by photometric detection in a cross-sectional study of 181 women and eighty-nine men aged 62 -92 years. Body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Vitamin C intake was assessed with a 3 d estimated dietary record. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to investigate whether sex is an independent predictor of vitamin C plasma concentrations by controlling for age, vitamin C intake, lifestyle factors, TAOS and body composition. Women showed higher vitamin C plasma concentrations than men (76 v. 62 mmol/l, P, 0·0001). In the multiple regression analysis, male sex was a negative predictor of vitamin C plasma concentrations (b ¼ 2 0·214), as long as absolute fat-free mass (FFM) was not considered as a confounder. When absolute FFM was included, sex was no longer a predictor of vitamin C plasma concentrations, whereas absolute FFM (b ¼ 20·216), physical activity level (b ¼ 0·165), intake of vitamin C supplements (b ¼ 0·164), age (b ¼ 0·147) and smoking (b ¼ 20·125) affected vitamin C plasma concentrations. The results indicate that a higher absolute FFM, and thus a higher distribution volume of vitamin C, contributes to lower vitamin C plasma concentrations in men than women.

Objective: Although emerging evidence indicates an association between vitamin D and serum lipids, the data are still inconsistent. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 ; 25(OH)D 3 ) or intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) was independently related to serum lipids in elderly women and men. Design: Cross-sectional study. Fasting serum levels of 25(OH)D 3 , iPTH, TAG, total cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) were assessed. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Lifestyle factors, such as nutrient intake, time spent outdoors, physical activity, smoking, supplement intake and medication, were assessed by questionnaires. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine associations of 25(OH)D 3 and iPTH with serum lipids. Setting: Giessen, Germany. 25-Hydroxycholecaliferol Parathyroid hormone Serum lipids ElderlyAccumulating epidemiological data indicate that vitamin D deficiency may be accompanied by susceptibility for chronic diseases (1) . Recently, a low vitamin D status has been linked to increased serum levels of TAG, total cholesterol (TC) and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), as well as low concentrations of HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8) . Parathyroid hormone (PTH), which increases in the presence of vitamin D insufficiency, was also linked to serum lipids (9) . However, the results are inconsistent and associations often vanished after controlling for confounding variables (5,6,8) .The question arises whether the assumed associations between serum lipids and vitamin D and PTH are independent from other cardiovascular risk factors like obesity, which has been associated with elevated serum lipids (10) and may also interfere with the vitamin D endocrine system (11) . In addition, the associations may differ by sex considering the differences in body composition and serum lipid levels between women and men. Previous studies were mostly performed on ambulatory patients and/or vitamin Ddeficient, middle-aged or overweight and obese individuals and often without adjustments for potential confounders, such as the association between vitamin D and PTH, body composition, medical conditions and/or lifestyle factors, including sun exposure, physical activity and habitual diet (4)(5)(6)(7)9,(12)(13)(14)(15) .As dyslipidaemia is an important CVD risk factor and an established component of the metabolic syndrome, treatment and prevention strategies are of particular importance (16) . This applies especially to elderly people, who are at risk of developing dyslipidaemia. Moreover, an advanced age is linked to vitamin D deficiency because of age-related declines in endogenous vitamin D synthesis, sun exposure

BackgroundConsidering the suggested link between vitamin D insufficiency and several chronic diseases, attention should be given to approaches for improving vitamin D status. Elderly subjects are regarded as a high-risk group for developing an insufficient vitamin D status. Socioeconomic, dietary, lifestyle and environmental factors are considered as influencing factors, whereupon sex differences in predictors of vitamin D status are rarely investigated. The purpose of this study is to identify the main predictors of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] concentrations in elderly subjects by taking into account potential sex differences.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study in 162 independently living German elderly aged 66 to 96 years. Serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations were assessed by an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Multiple regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of 25(OH)D3 concentrations stratified by sex.ResultsMedian 25(OH)D3 concentration was 64 nmol/L and none of the subjects had 25(OH)D3 concentrations < 25 nmol/L. In women, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) (β = -0.323), % total body fat (β = -0.208), time spent outdoors (β = 0.328), month of blood sampling (β = 0.229) and intake of vitamin D supplements (β = 0.172) were the predominant predictors of 25(OH)D3, whereas in men, iPTH (β = -0.254), smoking (β = -0.282), physical activity (β = 0.336) and monthly household net income (β = 0.302) predicted 25(OH)D3 concentrations. The final regression models accounted for 30% and 32% of the variance in 25(OH)D3 concentrations in women and men, respectively.ConclusionThe findings indicate that 25(OH)D3 concentrations are influenced by body composition, month of blood sampling, economic factors, lifestyle, supplement intake and iPTH, but may not be associated with age, sex, dietary factors, kidney function and presence of selected chronic diseases in community-dwelling elderly. Furthermore, our results provide evidence for sex-specific determinants of the vitamin D status, which ought to be considered for preventive strategies.