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High prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in Dutch multi-ethnic obese children

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Abstract

Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency is common among non-white children; however, little is known about the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in non-white obese children living in the Netherlands. Therefore, a retrospective analysis was performed on data from multi-ethnic Dutch children and adolescents 6–18 years who visited the obesity outpatient clinic in 2012–2013. We performed anthropometric measurements, oral glucose tolerance test, and measured 25(OH)D and lipid levels. Vitamin D insufficiency was defined as 25(OH)D levels 37.5- <50 nmol/L and vitamin D deficiency as 25(OH)D <37.5 nmol/L. In total, data from 387 children were obtained (mean age 11.6 years, 41.1 % boys, 10.3 % Dutch native, 25.6 % Turkish, 24.5 % Moroccan, 7.5 % African Surinamese, and 7.0 % West African). The median 25(OH)D level was 34 (range 12–105) nmol/L. In total, 17.8 % were vitamin D sufficient, 24.5 % with vitamin D insufficiency, and 57.6 % with vitamin D deficiency. Obese ethnic children showed the highest (87.5 %) and normal weight white children showed the lowest (20.0 %) prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency . Conclusion: Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency is extremely prevalent in treatment-seeking obese ethnic children. However, there was no evidence of an effect of vitamin D status on various components of the metabolic syndrome in our cohort.

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Abbreviations

25(OH)D:

25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3

ALT:

Alanine aminotransferase

BMI:

Body Mass Index

HDL:

High-density lipoprotein

HOMA-IR:

Homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance

IFG:

Impaired fasting glucose

IGM:

Impaired glucose metabolism

IGT:

Impaired glucose tolerance

IR:

Insulin resistance

LDL:

Low-density lipoprotein

SD:

Standard deviation

T2DM:

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

WC:

Waist circumference

Z-BMI:

Body Mass Index standard deviation score for age and sex

Z-WC:

Waist circumference standard deviation score for age and sex

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Slotervaart Hospital, Louwesweg 6, 1066 EC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Nalini Radhakishun, Mariska van Vliet, Ines von Rosenstiel & Olivier Weijer

  2. Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Nalini Radhakishun & Michaela Diamant

  3. Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Slotervaart Hospital, Louwesweg 6, 1066 EC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jos Beijnen

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Slotervaart Hospital, Louwesweg 6, 1066 EC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Dees Brandjes

Authors
  1. Nalini Radhakishun
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  2. Mariska van Vliet
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  3. Ines von Rosenstiel
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  4. Olivier Weijer
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  5. Michaela Diamant
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  6. Jos Beijnen
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  7. Dees Brandjes
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nalini Radhakishun.

Additional information

Communicated by Peter de Winter

Michaela Diamant passed away during the preparation of this study.

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Radhakishun, N., van Vliet, M., von Rosenstiel, I. et al. High prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in Dutch multi-ethnic obese children. Eur J Pediatr 174, 183–190 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2378-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2378-3

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