Abstract
Both childhood obesity and vitamin D deficiency are common in the Middle East. This study aims to determine whether the associations of vitamin D status to traditional anthropometric parameters hold true for nonconventional measures of adiposity, such as body adiposity index (BAI), a measure of body fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and lipid indices, in apparently healthy Arab children.
A total of 4183 apparently healthy Saudi school students (1906 boys; 2277 girls) aged 12 to 17 years were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometrics were obtained. Fasting blood glucose and lipids were measured routinely. Serum 25(OH)D was measured using chemiluminescence.
In all subjects, age, BAI, waist-to-hip ratio, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) accounted for 4% of the variance in serum 25(OH)D (P < .001). All adiposity indices were inversely associated with 25(OH)D, with WHtR being the most inferior in terms of strength of association. Vitamin D deficiency significantly increased risk for low HDL-C in all subjects (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.70 [1.24-2.3]; P < .001).
BAI is significantly associated with 25(OH)D levels in Arab children. WHtR is inferior than other anthropometric measures of obesity regarding the strength of association with 25(OH)D. Risk for or low HDL-C is significantly increased with vitamin D deficiency. Interventional studies may determine the potential cardioprotective effects of vitamin D correction in this population.
•Childhood obesity and vitamin D deficiency is high in Arab nations, Saudi Arabia in particular.•Body adiposity index is a major determinant of vitamin D levels in Arab children.•Risk for low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is significantly increased with vitamin D deficiency.