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Vitamin D Status and Obesity in Kuwaiti Children: Results from a National Survey
Author(s) -
AlLahou Badreya,
AlZenki Sameer,
Booth Sarah,
Jamil Kazi,
AlHamad Nawal,
Ausman Lynne,
Zhang Fang Fang
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.1154.11
Subject(s) - medicine , obesity , vitamin d and neurology , vitamin d deficiency , logistic regression , body mass index , vitamin , national health and nutrition examination survey , demography , endocrinology , population , environmental health , sociology
Background Previous studies suggest a potential link between vitamin D deficiency and childhood obesity. Children in Kuwait are experiencing a rapid increase in obesity rate. Vitamin D status has not been investigated at the national level in Kuwaiti children. The objective of this study was to provide the first‐line evidence on vitamin D status in a nationally representative sample of Kuwaiti children and its association with weight status. Methods Data collected from 461 children aged 5 to 19 year‐old in the first National Nutrition Survey of the State of Kuwait 2008–2009 were examined. Fasting serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration was determined by immunoassay. Children's weight and height were measured in survey clinics . Associations between vitamin D status and prevalence of obesity were examined using multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for age, sex, total caloric intake, physical activity, and season of blood draw. Sampling weights were adjusted in all analyses. Results Mean serum 25(OH)D concentration was 33.8 (SE=1.2) nmol/L. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D<30 nmol/L] and insufficiency (25(OH)D= 30–49.9 nmol/L) were 42.1% and 45.2%, respectively. Girls had a significantly lower serum 25(OH)D concentration than boys (30.9 vs. 36.0 nmol/L, p <0.01). Serum 25(OH)D concentration was positively associated with family income and physical activity, and negatively associated with age (all P values <0.05). More than one‐third of the children were overweight (BMI=85–94.9 th percentile) (15.9%) or obese (BMI ≥ 95 th percentile) (22.4%). Compared to children with adequate vitamin D status, those with vitamin D insufficiency (OR=1.41, 95% CI: 0.72–2.74) or deficiency (OR=1.61, 95% CI: 0.73–3.54) had a higher prevalence of being overweight/obese but associations were not statistically significance. Conclusions Kuwaiti children experience a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. The findings reinforce the need of identifying practical ways to improve vitamin D status in Kuwaiti children.