BACKGROUND: Puberty can affect vitamin D levels. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to analyze the relation between vitamin D deficiency and puberty in obese Spanish children, along with the possible interrelation between vitamin D status and degree of insulin resistance. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out, in which clinical and biochemical data were gathered from 120 obese and 50 normal weight children between January 2011 and January 2013. RESULTS: Mean vitamin D levels were 19.5 and 31.6 ng/mL in obese pubertal and obese prepubertal children, respectively. About 75% of the obese pubertal subjects and 46% of the obese prepubertal subjects had vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D levels were significantly lower in pubescent subjects compared with pre-pubescent subjects in summer, fall, and winter. There was no apparent relation between vitamin D levels and homeostasis model assessment index for insulin resistence (expressed in standard deviation score for sex and Tanner stage) in either puberty or pre-puberty. CONCLUSION: Puberty may be a risk factor for the vitamin D deficiency commonly found in the obese child population. This deficiency is not associated with higher insulin resistance in obese pubertal children compared with obese prepubertal children.
BACKGROUND: Puberty can affect vitamin D levels. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to analyze the relation between vitamin Ddeficiency and puberty in obese Spanish children, along with the possible interrelation between vitamin D status and degree of insulin resistance. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out, in which clinical and biochemical data were gathered from 120 obese and 50 normal weight children between January 2011 and January 2013. RESULTS: Mean vitamin D levels were 19.5 and 31.6 ng/mL in obese pubertal and obese prepubertal children, respectively. About 75% of the obese pubertal subjects and 46% of the obese prepubertal subjects had vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D levels were significantly lower in pubescent subjects compared with pre-pubescent subjects in summer, fall, and winter. There was no apparent relation between vitamin D levels and homeostasis model assessment index for insulin resistence (expressed in standard deviation score for sex and Tanner stage) in either puberty or pre-puberty. CONCLUSION: Puberty may be a risk factor for the vitamin D deficiency commonly found in the obesechild population. This deficiency is not associated with higher insulin resistance in obese pubertal children compared with obese prepubertal children.
Authors: Andrea Di Nisio; Luca De Toni; Elvio D'Addato; Maria R Pizzo; Pasquale Sabatino; Carlo Foresta Journal: Endocrine Date: 2015-09-01 Impact factor: 3.633