Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 15, 2026
Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice
Published on: May 24, 2018
Associations between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, body composition and metabolic profiles in young women
Marjan Tabesh1, Emma T Callegari1, Alexandra Gorelik1,2
1Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Insights
Low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 OHD) levels may be linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in young women. This study found small but significant associations between 25 OHD and body composition and metabolic profiles.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
- Cardiovascular Health
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading global cause of death.
- The relationship between low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 OHD) and CVD risk is unclear, especially in young women.
- This study investigates the association between 25 OHD levels and CVD risk factors in young women.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the relationship between serum 25 OHD levels and obesity, body composition, metabolic profiles, and blood pressure in young women.
- To explore potential links between vitamin D status and cardiovascular health markers in a specific demographic.
- To contribute to understanding the role of 25 OHD in CVD risk factors.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 557 women aged 16-25 years in Victoria, Australia.
- Data collected via online surveys and a site visit including anthropometry, blood pressure, metabolic profiles, and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for body composition.
- Serum 25 OHD levels were measured.
Main Results:
- A 10 nmol/L increase in 25 OHD was associated with statistically significant, albeit small, improvements in HDL and triglyceride levels.
- Higher 25 OHD levels correlated with lower BMI, total fat percentage, visceral fat percentage, and visceral-to-total fat ratio.
- Adjustments were made for various lifestyle and demographic factors, including season, smoking, physical activity, and supplement use.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest potential links between 25 OHD levels and CVD risk factors, specifically through associations with HDL, BMI, and body fat distribution.
- The clinical significance of these small magnitude associations requires further investigation.
- Underlying mechanisms linking 25 OHD to these CVD risk factors warrant further research.
Background/Objectives:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Results from previous studies are inconsistent and it remains unclear whether low-serum 25 OHD levels are associated with an increased risk of CVD. These associations have been little studied in young women. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between serum 25 OHD and obesity, body composition, metabolic profiles and blood pressure in young women.
Subjects/Methods:
Women aged 16-25 years living in Victoria, Australia, were recruited through Facebook advertising in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed an online survey and attended a site visit in a fasted state, where parameters, including blood pressure, anthropometry, metabolic profiles, serum 25 OHD levels and body composition (using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) were measured.
Results:
A total of 557 participants were recruited into this study. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that after adjusting for visceral fat, season, smoking, physical activity, age, alcohol intake, oral contraceptive use, country of birth, taking multivitamins and taking vitamin D supplement, a 10 nmol/L increase in 25 OHD levels was associated with 0.65% greater HDL levels (p = 0.016) and 0.92% greater triglyceride levels (p = 0.003). It was also associated with 0.48% lower BMI (p < 0.001), 0.50% lower total fat percentage (p < 0.001), 0.09% lower visceral fat percentage (p < 0.001), 0.14% lower visceral fat to total fat ratio (p < 0.001) and 0.36% lower trunk fat to total fat ratio (p < 0.001), after adjustment for season, smoking, physical activity, age, alcohol intake, oral contraceptive use, country of birth, taking multivitamins and taking vitamin D supplements. Although these associations were statistically significant, they were very small in magnitude and of uncertain clinical significance.
Conclusions:
These findings may help to explain an association between 25 OHD levels and CVD risk factors through associations with HDL, BMI, total body and visceral fat mass. Possible underlying mechanisms warrant further investigation.
Related Concept Videos
00:55Composite Bodies
Composite bodies have widespread applications in mechanical engineering, from automobiles to aircraft to rockets. For example, an automobile wheel comprises...
01:29Composition of Body Fluids
01:25Metabolic States of the Body: The Absorptive State
01:18Metabolic States of the Body: The Postabsorptive State
Initially, glycogen stored in the liver is broken down to release glucose into the bloodstream, while glycogen in the muscles is broken down to supply glucose for energy directly within the muscle cells. As glycogen stores diminish,...
01:24Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation
01:26Profile Leveling and Cross Sections