Vitamin D linked to weight in overweight children
She added that it is an important potential relationship to explore.
Future studies should explore what the underlying mechanisms are that explain this specific relationship between Vitamin D and visceral adipose tissue."
By
Sidharth
REFERENCE
"Vitamin D: supplement linked to weight loss in overweight and obese children" by Kashmira Gander.
Vitamin D is most commonly associated with the development and maintenance of strong bones as the body needs it to absorb calcium. But emerging research suggests vitamin D deficiency could also be a contributing factor of obesity.
The world health organisation describes childhood obesity as one of the most serios public health challenges
of the 21st century, with an estimated 41 million children under the age of five falling into this category.
Children with obesity have a greater risk of developing preventable conditions like heart disease and diabetes
at a younger age, and suffering poor health in later life.
In a study to investigate links between vitamin D supplementation and the weight and health of obese children and
adolescents, researchers from University of Athens Medical School and Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital,Athens, required
232 participants.
The team measured participant's vitamin D levels, body fat percentage, as well as their markers of liver and heart function
at the start of the study, and again 12 months later.The researchers randomly assigned 117 children with supplements containing
50,000 IU vitamin D for six weeks, while the others acted as the control group.
Children who took vitamin D had a significantly lower BMI, the researchers found.They also had lower body fat, as well as healtheir
cholestrol levels.
Dr. Evangelia, lead author of the study said:"These findings suggest that Vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of overweight and
obese children developing serious heart and metabolic complications in later life".
In the next investigation, the team will study whether Vitamin D supplements can improve the health of obese children and adolescents who have
been diagnosed with disorders linked to obesity, such as high cholestrol, high blood sugar levels, and high blood pressure.
Charmandari said" althogh these initial findings indicate that Vitamin D could be used in the treatment of obesity, there remains a lack of
evidence on the safety and long-term effects of supplementation, particularly if there is no vitamin D deficiency.
Professor Mary Fewtrell, assistant officer for health promotion at the U.K. based Royal College of Paediatrics and child health said "Although
the effect sizes are not given, these outcomes are certainly positive.It's encouraging that a simple intervention could have these effects and
this certainly merits further investigation to consider its potential impacts on vitamin D supplementation for children with obesity."
In 2018, researchers in the Netherlands published a study indicating higher levels of belly fat are linked to lower Vitamin D levels.
The world health organisation describes childhood obesity as one of the most serios public health challenges
of the 21st century, with an estimated 41 million children under the age of five falling into this category.
Children with obesity have a greater risk of developing preventable conditions like heart disease and diabetes
at a younger age, and suffering poor health in later life.
In a study to investigate links between vitamin D supplementation and the weight and health of obese children and
adolescents, researchers from University of Athens Medical School and Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital,Athens, required
232 participants.
The team measured participant's vitamin D levels, body fat percentage, as well as their markers of liver and heart function
at the start of the study, and again 12 months later.The researchers randomly assigned 117 children with supplements containing
50,000 IU vitamin D for six weeks, while the others acted as the control group.
Children who took vitamin D had a significantly lower BMI, the researchers found.They also had lower body fat, as well as healtheir
cholestrol levels.
Dr. Evangelia, lead author of the study said:"These findings suggest that Vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of overweight and
obese children developing serious heart and metabolic complications in later life".
In the next investigation, the team will study whether Vitamin D supplements can improve the health of obese children and adolescents who have
been diagnosed with disorders linked to obesity, such as high cholestrol, high blood sugar levels, and high blood pressure.
Charmandari said" althogh these initial findings indicate that Vitamin D could be used in the treatment of obesity, there remains a lack of
evidence on the safety and long-term effects of supplementation, particularly if there is no vitamin D deficiency.
Professor Mary Fewtrell, assistant officer for health promotion at the U.K. based Royal College of Paediatrics and child health said "Although
the effect sizes are not given, these outcomes are certainly positive.It's encouraging that a simple intervention could have these effects and
this certainly merits further investigation to consider its potential impacts on vitamin D supplementation for children with obesity."
In 2018, researchers in the Netherlands published a study indicating higher levels of belly fat are linked to lower Vitamin D levels.
According to findings presented at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting in Barcelona, individuals with higher levels of total body and abdominal fat appeared to have lower levels of vitamin D.
Rachida Rafiq, the lead author of the study said "our results are significant as Vitamin D deficiency and obesity are very common problems in our society nowadays."She added that it is an important potential relationship to explore.
Future studies should explore what the underlying mechanisms are that explain this specific relationship between Vitamin D and visceral adipose tissue."
By
Sidharth
REFERENCE
"Vitamin D: supplement linked to weight loss in overweight and obese children" by Kashmira Gander.
