Researchers publishing
in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology
and Metabolism have found that
children with low vitamin D levels, especially when overweight and obese, are
at much higher risk for developing insulin resistance progressing to full-blown
diabetes by early adulthood. Based on cellular saturation of the
vitamin/prohormone, children and adults require higher amounts of vitamin D as
body weight increases.
The vast majority of children are
vitamin D deficient, a problem exacerbated further by additional fat stores. In
addition to a healthy lifestyle including plenty of physical activity and
proper diet, parents will want to ensure their children reach proper blood
levels of this critical vitamin through exposure to the sun or adequate
supplementation.
Low Vitamin D Levels Lead to Insulin Resistance and Diabetes in
Overweight Children
Past research studies have
concluded that high rates of vitamin
D insufficiency are found most prominently in overweight and obese
populations and are linked to dramatically increased risk of heart disease and
diabetes. These studies have not explained the mechanism by which excess fat
stores and low vitamin D saturation result in chronic disease development and
progression.
Dr. Micah Olson and his team from
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center examined the association
between vitamin D levels and dietary habits in 498 obese and non-obese
children. The researchers checked for levels of abnormal glucose metabolism and
blood pressure in the participants. Additionally, the scientists measured
vitamin D levels, blood sugar levels, serum insulin and BMI. 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.
Children with Higher Soda and Juice Consumption Showed Lower Vitamin D
Levels
The study authors determined that
92% of the obese children tested had a vitamin D saturation (using the standard
25(OH)D test) below the ‘adequate’ level of 30 ng/mL. 50% of the participants
were classified as ‘deficient’ with a level below 20 ng/mL. Dr. Olson commented
“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.” The study concluded that obese
children with low serum blood levels of vitamin D had higher degrees of insulin
resistance that played a significant role in the development of Type II
diabetes.
New cases of diabetes and
prediabetes are now found in young adults and even children at an alarming and
increasing rate. This research highlights the connection between low vitamin D
levels, excess body weight and diabetes risk and underscores the importance of
vitamin D blood testing for all children and adults. Alternative health
practitioners recommend maintaining a vitamin D level between 50 and 70 ng/mL
using the 25(OH)D blood test.
2 comments:
Hi John,
May we repost this article in full at ActivistPost.com? We'll include a bio for you with links to your blog and book.
Thanks for considering!
activistpost@gmail.com
"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." I know this research is for kids but looks like I'm in the wrong direction. I skip breakfast and drink lots of soda. This is bad for me. I know how important vitamin d to us. I should start having a proper diet.
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