Vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for obesity and diabetes type 2 in women at late reproductive age

Abstract

It was suggested that glucose metabolism and body fat content depend on serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. We studied 320 healthy women at late reproductive age of 40 to 52 years old (mean age 46.1±4.5) from St. Petersburg (North-West region of Russia). 25(OH)D levels were from 19.4 to 134.0 nMol/L (mean 52.9±22.7). Vitamin D deficiency (lower than 50 nMol/L) and insufficiency (50-75 nMol/L) was revealed in 59.1% and 27.8% of women, respectively. The study showed that low 25(OH)D levels were associated with obesity (r=-0.35, p<0.01), increased plasma glucose levels after OGTT (r=-0.31, p<0.01) and decreased insulin sensitivity index (r=-0.28, p<0.01). We found that 25(OH)D levels below 50 nMol/L were associated with obesity risk (OR 2.25[1.05-3.95], CI 95%) but not with risk of impaired glucose metabolism (1.07[0.54-2.12],CI95%). Our results showed that vitamin D insufficiency is highly prevalent in the population of healthy women. Low 25(OH)D levels correlated with high body fat, glucose levels and decreased insulin sensitivity. We conclude that vitamin D deficiency is a potential risk factor for obesity and development of insulin resistance leading to diabetes type 2.

The Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Hepatic Dysfunction, Vitamin D Status, and Glycemic Control in Children and Adolescents with Vitamin D Deficiency and Either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

“…The high prevalence of obesity and vitamin D deficiency at baseline in subjects with T2D is consistent with a report that characterized vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for obesity and T2D [55]. The decrease in BMI SDS concurs with earlier studies indicating that vitamin D repletion could potentiate weight loss and improve metabolic markers [47], [56], [57].…”

Low Skeletal Muscle Mass in the Lower Limbs Is Independently Associated to Knee Osteoarthritis

“…Higher serum 25(OH)D levels showed a positive correlation with the presence of knee OA from the adjusted regression model (OR, 1.017; 95% CI, 1.005–1.028). Because age [37], obesity [38], and physical activity [39] which might affect the serum vitamin D level, were also included in the final regression model, a higher serum level of 25(OH)D could be an independent associated factor of knee OA. One recent clinical trial showed that vitamin D supplementation did not reduce knee pain or cartilage volume loss in patients with symptomatic knee OA whereas it elevated 25(OH)D plasma levels [40].…”

Prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in the North-West region of Russia: A cross-sectional study

“…Hence, economically developed European countries show quite a widespread vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency, which vary according to age and gender differences and depend on the diagnostic criteria used, and therefore cannot be associated with the region of the survey [20][21][22][23][24][25]. The level of vitamin D sufficiency in the Russian Federation can only be estimated by the results of separate studies [9,10,11,26]. Thus, when examining elderly population it was found that more than half of the subjects had low serum 25(OH)D levels [10].…”

“…Thus, when examining elderly population it was found that more than half of the subjects had low serum 25(OH)D levels [10]. However, according to previous publications, among healthy women of the late reproductive age normal vitamin D levels were found only in 13.1% of cases, while its deficiency or insufficiency were typical for 86.9% of the subjects [26]. Pregnant women though have shown normal serum 25(OH)D levels [14].…”