Comparison of Vitamin D Deficiency among Obese and Normal Children of Bangladesh

Obesity is a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency (VDD) with limited data on their association with Bangladeshi children. The aim of this study was to compare vitamin D levels and the status among obese, overweight and normal-weight children. This cross-sectional study was performed in the Obesity Clinic, Department of Endocrinology, Bangladesh Medical University hospital, Bangladesh from May 2020 to August 2021 and included 100 children of 10-17 years [age-matched 50 children with normal BMI, 22 with overweight and 28 with obesity: 14.0 (12.0-17.0) vs. 12.50 (10.0-16.25) vs. 12.50 (11.0-14.0), years, median (IQR), p=0.114] of both sexes (boys/girls: 49/51). Height and weight were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI) and plotted in the Centre for Disease Control chart to classify normal, overweight and obese with cut-offs of 85th and 95th BMI-percentile. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D[25(OH)D] was measured by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. VDD (<20 ng/mL) and insufficiency (20-29.9ng/mL) were found in 92 and eight patients respectively with none having sufficiency (≥30 ng/ml). Among 92 patients with VDD, 61 (66.30%) had mild VDD (10-19.9 ng/mL) and 31 (33.70%) had moderate to severe VDD (<10 ng/mL). Vitamin D level and status were statistically similar across BMI-spectrum (NS for all). Vitamin D level did not significantly correlate with BMI (r=-0.026, p=0.798). Children with moderate to severe VDD had significantly higher percent of girls (67.7% vs. 44.3%, p=0.047), living in urban area (100.0% vs. 85.2%, p=0.026) with higher socio-economic status (61.3% vs. 32.8%, p=0.023) than those with mild VDD. In conclusion, despite high percentages of VDD, vitamin D had no association with BMI in children.