Vitamin D status is modestly associated with glycemia and indicators of lipid metabolism in French-Canadian children and adolescents

J Nutr. 2010 May;140(5):987-91. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.112250. Epub 2010 Mar 17.

Abstract

In addition to its recognized role in bone health, recent studies point to vitamin D functions in other tissues, including the pancreas. We tested the association between the vitamin D status and glucose and lipid homeostasis in a school-based, cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of youth. We measured fasting plasma insulin, glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) apolipoproteins (apo) A1 and B, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations in 878 boys and 867 girls. The 25(OH)D concentrations (mean +/- SD) were 45.9 +/- 12.2 nmol/L in boys and 45.9 +/- 13.0 nmol/L in girls. More than 93% of youth had suboptimal (<75 nmol/L) vitamin D concentrations. There was a slightly lower glycemia, -0.5% (P = 0.015) and -0.4% (P = 0.025), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, -2.8% (P = 0.043) and -2.3% (P = 0.050), for each 10-nmol/L increase in plasma 25(OH)D in boys and girls, respectively. In contrast, in girls only there were modest increases in plasma TC (1.1%; P = 0.017), TG (2.9%; P = 0.004), apoA1 (1.2%; P < 0.001), and apoB (1.5%; P = 0.023). We observed no association between the presence of at least 2 cardiometabolic risk factors (borderline/unfavorable fasting concentrations of apoB, HDL-C, TG, insulin, and glucose) and 25(OH)D concentrations in either boys or girls. Although the observed associations between 25(OH)D concentrations and fasting glucose, and variables of lipid metabolism are modest, they may have a potential long-term impact on cardiovascular risk.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Apolipoprotein A-I / blood
  • Apolipoproteins B / blood
  • Blood Glucose*
  • Child
  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • France / ethnology
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia / blood
  • Hyperglycemia / epidemiology
  • Hyperglycemia / etiology*
  • Insulin Resistance*
  • Lipids / blood*
  • Male
  • Quebec / epidemiology
  • Sex Factors
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vitamin D / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / complications*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / epidemiology

Substances

  • Apolipoprotein A-I
  • Apolipoproteins B
  • Blood Glucose
  • Lipids
  • Triglycerides
  • Vitamin D
  • Cholesterol
  • 25-hydroxyvitamin D