Relationship of vitamin D intake and sun exposure with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D in schoolchildren with obesity

• Published in: Archivos latinoamericanos de nutrición Vol. 72; no. 2; pp. 75 - 83
• Main Authors: Pérez Manzo, Libertad, Flores Ruelas, Yunue, Cortés Alvarez, Salma, del Toro Equihua, Mario, Sánchez Meza, Karmina, López Alcaraz, Fátima, Sánchez-Ramírez, Carmen A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedad Latinoamericana de Nutrición 01.06.2022
• Subjects: 25-hydroxyvitamin d; obesity; schoolchildren; sun exposure; vitamin d
• ISSN: 0004-0622; 2309-5806
• DOI: 10.37527/2022.72.2.001

The obesity worldwide has produced an increase in obesity-related diseases and can be associated with low concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin-D. Also obesity and low physical activity can decrease sun exposure, so the aim was to correlate vitamin D intake with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D levels and to assess sun exposure habits in schoolchildren with obesity. Materials and methods. A correlational study was performed from January 2017 to January 2018 on 103 children between 6-12 years of age, with a body mass index ≥+2SD for age and sex, according to the World Health Organization. Blood samples were taken to determine the serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin-D, a nutritional survey to determine the vitamin D intake and a sun exposure questionnaire were applied. A Spearman correlation coefficient analysis was performed. Results. Forty-seven percent of the children were girls. The median years of age was 10. The median serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D levels were 35.5 ng/mL, 74.8% had sufficient levels, 25.2% had insufficient levels. The median vitamin D intake was 214.7IU in boys and 231.9IU in girls. Regarding sun exposure, most of the children had excessive levels of sun exposure and inadequate sun protection practices. A positive correlation between vitamin D intake and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D was identified only in boys (rho=0.276, p=0.041). Conclusion. A positive correlation between vitamin D intake and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D levels was found in obese boys and excessive levels of sun exposure with inadequate sun protection practices in boys and girls.