Private MD News

Low levels of vitamin D may increase risk of obesity

Category: Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

Parents of children who have begun putting on extra weight may want to consider having their levels of vitamin D tested. A recent study from University of Michigan researchers found that low levels of the nutrient may lead to more rapid weight gain.

The number of obese children is skyrocketing in America. Additionally, thanks to largely indoor lifestyles, vitamin D deficiency is rising as well. The findings indicate that the two conditions may be more linked than previously thought.

After following the medical records of nearly 500 Colombian school children for a period of 30 months, researchers found that the individuals with the lowest vitamin D levels put on the most weight during the study period.

"Our findings suggest that low vitamin D status may put children at risk of obesity," said Diane Gilbert-Diamond, who worked on the study. "This is significant because vitamin D insufficiency is highly prevalent across the globe and childhood obesity rates are dramatically increasing worldwide."

Due to the fact that obesity has been connected to a wide range of health problems, Gilbert-Diamond suggested that children take steps to improve their vitamin D status.