Hypovitaminosis D in Obese and Overweight Schoolchildren

• DOI: 10.4008/jcrpe.v1i2.43
• Publication Date: 2009-01-29T14:10:24Z
• Authors: Filiz Mine Çizmec...; Nilay Etiler; Uzay Görmüş; Onur Hamzaoğlu; Şükrü Hatun
• Keywords: Male; 2. Zero hunger; Adolescent; Turkey; Overweight; Alkaline Phosphatase; Vitamin D Deficiency; 3. Good health; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; 0302 clinical medicine; Parathyroid Hormone; Risk Factors; Prevalence; Humans; Original Article; Female; Obesity; Vitamin D; Child

To determine the prevalence of vitamin D hypovitaminosis among obese and overweight schoolchildren.A cross-sectional population based sample.In a cross-sectional study, 301 students (177 girls and 124 boys) aged 11-19 years were selected by multistage stratified sampling design. Subjects were classified according to their body mass index as obese, overweight and normal. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured in late winter months. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as a 25-OHD 20 ng/ml.The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was found as 65% in all students. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 12% and insufficiency in 53% of all students. Vitamin D deficiency in female students was about two times more common than in males. In obese and overweight schoolchildren with hypovitaminosis D, serum 25-OHD levels decreased as BMI increased. There were no correlations between serum 25-OHD and ALP and iPTH levels.Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are common in obese and overweight schoolchildren, especially in girls. Obesity could be a risk factor in terms of hypovitaminosis D in adolescents. Vitamin D supplementation should be administered particularly to adolescent girls.