Vitamin D is associated with the hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype in Brazilian children

Prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors is increasing and vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency has become a worldwide public health problem, even in tropical countries. Therefore, we identified the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype (HWP) and evaluate its relationship with vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency.

A cross-sectional study with 378 children aged 8 and 9 enrolled in all urban schools in the city of Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Anthropometric measurements, body composition (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry), biochemical tests and clinical evaluation were performed. Poisson regression was used to analyze the association between vitamin D and HWP.

Prevalence of HWP was 16.4%. This prevalence was higher among children with vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency and in those with a greater number of other cardiometabolic risk factors. Multiple regression analysis showed that children with vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency had, respectively, prevalence 85% (95% CI: 1.03-3.30) and 121% (95% CI: 1.11-4.45) higher of HWP than the vitamin D sufficiency group.

Vitamin D insuffiency and deficiency were associated with a higher prevalence of HWP among children, regardless of the presence of other cardiometabolic risk factors, indicating an additional risk of inadequate vitamin D status to cardiometabolic health in childhood.