We set out to understand how vitamin D3 might influence obesity and related health issues in older adults. Through data gathered from 1,991 participants in the PoCOsteo study, we looked at levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, alongside a range of blood sugar and cholesterol levels, as well as measurements of both total and regional fat using DXA scans.
Surprisingly, we found that nearly 39% of the participants were vitamin D deficient. After accounting for other factors that might impact health, our analysis revealed a clear trend: higher levels of vitamin D were associated with lower body mass index, reduced waist circumference, and decreased regional fat. This suggests that maintaining adequate vitamin D levels may help manage obesity.
Furthermore, we observed that higher vitamin D levels corresponded with healthier blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels. Notably, for every increase in vitamin D concentration, the risk of dyslipidemia decreased by about 2%. Overall, our findings highlight that vitamin D levels are significantly linked to various obesity metrics and other cardiometabolic risk factors, making it an essential area for further exploration.