17 DEC 2011
Study finds low vitamin D levels associated with higher degrees of insulin resistance
A recent study of obese and non-obese children found that low vitamin D levels are significantly more prevalent in obese children and are associated with risk factors for type 2 diabetes. This study was accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
High rates of vitamin D deficiency have been found in obese populations and past studies have linked low vitamin D levels to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The mechanisms by which obesity and its comorbidities are related to vitamin D deficiency are not fully known. This new study examined associations between vitamin D levels and dietary habits in obese children, and tested whether there were correlations between vitamin D levels and markers of abnormal glucose metabolism and blood pressure.
“Our study found that obese children with lower vitamin D levels had higher degrees of insulin resistance,” said Micah Olson, MD, of The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and lead author of the study. “Although our study cannot prove causation, it does suggest that low vitamin D levels may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.”
In this study, researchers measured vitamin D levels, blood sugar levels, serum insulin, BMI and blood pressure in 411 obese subjects and 87 control non-overweight subjects. Study participants were also asked to provide dietary information including daily intake of soda, juice and milk, average daily fruit and vegetable intake, and whether or not they routinely skipped breakfast.
“Poor dietary habits such as skipping breakfast and increased soda and juice intake were associated with the lower vitamin D levels seen in obese children,” said Olson. “Future studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of lower vitamin D levels in obese children, the amount and duration of treatment necessary to replenish vitamin D levels in these children and whether treatment with vitamin D can improve primary clinical endpoints such as insulin resistance.”
Related articles
- Link Between Low Vitamin D Levels And Higher Degrees Of Insulin Resistance (medicalnewstoday.com)
- Low vitamin D levels may contribute to development of Type 2 diabetes (eurekalert.org)
- Low vitamin D tied to Type 2 diabetes (scienceblog.com)
- Low Magnesium May Play Key Role in Insulin Resistance and Diabetes (foodconsumer.org)
- Vitamin D Deficiency and Type 2 Diabetes (ivanhoe.com)
- What Is Vitamin D? (livescience.com)
- Vitamin D Benefits MS and Fibromyalgia Sufferers (trynabpainfreemomma.wordpress.com)
- Low vitamin D linked to high risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (foodconsumer.org)
- Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Depression, Pain, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and Breast Cancer (articles.mercola.com)
- Vitamin D Keeps the Diabetes Away? (virtual-strategy.com)
[…] Low vitamin D levels may contribute to development of Type 2 diabetes. […]
It’s no surprise that Vitamin D, the “sunshine” vitamin, affects our metabolism (diabetes beings a metabolic disease). Every cell in our body is receptive to light, see Clocking The Light. This article is very interesting to read.
http://endlessfourthday.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/clocking-the-light/