Association of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D with mental well-being in a population-based, nationally representative sample of German adolescents

• Published in: Quality of life research Vol. 25; no. 12; pp. 3077 - 3086
• Main Authors: Schäfer, Theresa Katharina, Herrmann-Lingen, Christoph, Meyer, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.12.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age groups; Binding sites; Blood pressure; Body mass index; Child; Children & youth; Female; Generalized linear models; Germany; Humans; Hypotheses; Immunoassay; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental health; Mental Health - trends; Population; Public Health; Quality of life; Quality of Life Research; Questionnaires; Screen time; Sickness Impact Profile; Socioeconomic factors; Sociology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - analogs & derivatives; Vitamin D - metabolism; Health-related quality of life; Vitamin D; Adolescents; Psychological distress
• ISSN: 0962-9343; 1573-2649; 1573-2649
• DOI: 10.1007/s11136-016-1334-2

Objective Numerous studies have linked vitamin D to health-related quality of life (hrQoL) in chronically ill adults or elderly subjects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and hrQoL in a population-based sample of German adolescents. Methods A total of n  = 5066 study participants from the nationwide, representative German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitssurvey) aged 11–17 years were included in this post hoc analysis. HrQoL was measured using the well-validated self- and parent-rated Children’s Quality of Life questionnaires (KINDL-R), while the level of distress was assessed using the self- and proxy version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were determined using a commercially available chemiluminescence immunoassay. Results Bivariate analyses demonstrated a significant positive association between 25(OH)D and hrQoL for both self- [estimate ( E ) = 0.82, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) 0.35–1.30, p  = 0.001] and parent ratings ( E  = 1.33, 95 % CI 0.83–1.83, p  < 0.001). In addition, we found negative correlations between 25(OH)D and self- ( E  = −0.34, 95 % CI −0.58 to −0.11, p  = 0.005) and parent-reported total SDQ scores ( E  = −0.70, 95 % CI −1.03 to −0.37, p  < 0.001). Generalized linear models adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, migration background, socio-economic status, and sedentary screen time confirmed that 25(OH)D independently and significantly predicted better hrQoL ( p  ≤ 0.004). Conclusions These findings linking 25(OH)D to better well-being in a nationally representative sample of German children and adolescents suggest beneficial effects of vitamin D on mental health. However, recommendations for vitamin supplementation in healthy children and adolescents are not warranted from our data.