Assessment of vitamin d status in obese/overweight bangladeshi children

Aims and objective: Childhood obesity and vitamin D deficiency both are emerging health issues. Vitamin D is essential for normal growth and development and frequently found low in obese and overweight children. The aim this study was to assess serum vitamin D level, calcium, inorganic phosphate, alkaline phosphatase and parathormone (PTH) in obese and overweight children.
Materials and methods: In this cross sectional study 50 obese/overweight and 20 non obese children diagnosed based on CDC age and sex specific BMI chart were assessed for serum vitamin D, calcium, inorganic phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, and parathormone. Endocrine society clinical practice guideline was used to define vitamin D status. Result found that all of the obese/overweight children had low vitamin D status - 82% deficiency and 18% insufficiency whereas non obese group had 20% vitamin D deficiency, 45% insufficiency and 35% sufficiency. The mean value of vitamin D level in obese/overweight children was significantly lower than control group 14.9±4.8 vs 27.5±7.9 (p value 0.00). However there was no significant difference in the mean value of serum calcium, inorganic phosphate (iPO4), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and parathormone in obese/overweight group and non-obese group. Majority of the obese/overweight children lived in urban areas (64%) and most of them (84%) had family history of obesity.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated a high frequency of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency obese/overweight children. So targeted screening and appropriate treatment of this population is needed.