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Vitamin D levels may be dangerously low in obese individuals

Category: Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

Overweight and obese individuals may benefit from vitamin D testing, as a new study published in the Journal of Nutrition has found that these individuals often have dangerously low levels of the nutrient.

Vitamin D has been shown to play a critical role in the maintenance of overall health in recent years. It may be linked to the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and certain forms of cancer. Maintaining healthy levels of the nutrient may be of critical importance.

For the study, researchers from Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet Medical Center in Oslo, Norway measured blood levels of vitamin D in nearly 1,800 individuals who were being treated for weight-related problems. They found that individuals who had the highest weight had the lowest levels of the nutrient.

Additionally, researchers noted that vitamin D levels tended to decrease during the winter months. While this is generally true for everyone, the drop was more dramatic in obese patients.

"It may be valuable to measure both serum 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D for the evaluation of vitamin D status in overweight and obese persons," the authors wrote in their report