Association between vitamin D level and cardiovascular risk in obese children and adolescents

The aim of our study was to evaluate the associations between vitamin D deficiency, the atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome.

Two hundred and forty-seven obese children and adolescents, 8-16 years of age (body mass index>95 p) were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure measurements, lipid profile, vitamin D level and carotid intima media thickness (c-IMT) were measured. MS was diagnosed according to IDF criteria.

The prevalance of vitamin D deficieny in obese children and adolescent was 46.6%. Low levels of vitamin D were associated with increased carotis intima media thickness and metabolic syndrome (p=0.03, p=0.04, respectively). For clinical cardiovascular risk factors, mutivariable regression analyses showed that low vitamin D level was best predictor of c-IMT.

In this study we showed an association between low vitamin D status and atherosclerosis independent of traditional risk factors in obese children and adolescents.