NEWS

Vitamin D Deficiency linked to Abdominal Fat

Men and women with a high amount of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) have an increased risk for vitamin D deficiency, according to new research presented at the European Society of Endocrinology Annual Meeting in Barcelona, Spain.
As a result, experts are emphasizing the importance of monitoring vitamin D levels among overweight and obese individuals with larger waistlines.
These findings emerged from the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study, which included male and female participants aged 45 to 65 years.
Linear regression analyses were implemented to assess the associations of total body fat, subcutaneous adipose tissue (aSAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT; n = 2441) and hepatic fat (n = 1980) with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations. Factors including age, chronic diseases, and physical activity, among others, were taken into account.
Results demonstrated an inverse association between total body fat and 25(OH)D concentrations in women, but not in men. Approximately 1% higher total body fat was linked to 0.40 nmol/L lower 25(OH)D.
Furthermore, VAT was found to be inversely associated with serum 25(OH)D concentrations in both men and women, with 1 cm2 higher VAT associated with 0.05 nmol/L lower 25(OH)D in men, and 0.06 nmol/L lower 25(OH)D in women.
Based on regressions with standardized values, VAT was found to be most strongly associated with serum 25(OH)D concentrations, implying that “specific attention for vitamin D deficiency should be given to individuals with a high amount of VAT,” the researchers wrote.
Hepatic fat was only found to be associated with 25(OH)D concentrations in men. The researchers found that a tenfold increase in hepatic fat was associated with 6.21 nmol/L lower 25(OH)D.
The researchers observed no association between aSAT and 25(OH)D concentrations in men or women.

REFERENCE:
Rafiq R, Walschot F, Lips P, et al. Associations of different body fat deposits with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations. Paper presented at: European Society of Endocrinology Annual Meeting; May 19-22, 2018; Barcelona, Spain.