Abstract:
Background: Korea is one of the countries in which vitamin D deficiencies are prevalent, and many studies have recently reported that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and obesity parameters (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference) in Korean adults based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Methods: This study was conducted for 2,367 adults aged 19 to 60 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2013-2014. Independent sample t-test was performed to compare the difference in general characteristics between vitamin D deficiency group and sufficiency group based on serum 25(OH)D concentration of 20 ng/mL. Linear regression analysis was performed to analyze the effect of serum 25(OH)D concentration on BMI and waist circumference.
Results: The mean serum 25(OH)D level of all subjects was lower than the standard value of 20 ng/mL. There was no correlation between obesity rates based on BMI of serum vitamin D sufficiency and deficiency group in both genders. However, in males, the abdominal obesity rate based on the waist circumference was higher in the vitamin D deficiency group than in the sufficiency group. In addition, the BMI decreased by 0.035 kg/m2 and the waist circumference decreased by 0.105 cm as the serum 25(OH)D concentration increased by 1 ng/mL in men.
Conclusion: Vitamin D status was inversely associated with obesity parameters (Body Mass Index [BMI], waist circumference) in adult men.
Keywords: Vitamin D; Obesity; Body Mass Index; Waist Circumference
