title: Calcium and vitamin D for obesity: a review of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: Obesity often coexists with low calcium intake and vitamin D insufficiency. There is emerging evidence of a role for these nutrients in the regulation of body weight. However, it is unclear whether increasing intakes of calcium and/or vitamin D during energy restriction, is a better strategy for weight and fat loss. We searched the literature from 2000 to date for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on weight loss that had increased calcium or vitamin D per se, or in combination. Primary and secondary studies were included for this analysis. A total of 15 RCTs on calcium with or without vitamin D and seven on vitamin D alone met our criteria. Two studies reported that supplemental calcium significantly increased fat loss during caloric restriction by 1.8 and 2.2 kg, three found differences between 1 and 3.5 kg but were statistically nonsignificant, while nine trials were equivocal (±0.7 kg). The data on vitamin D supplementation during weight loss were too few to make firm conclusions. Current evidence from RCTs did not consistently support the contention that calcium and vitamin D accelerated weight or fat loss in obesity. There were studies that favoured the hypothesis but lacked the statistical power. There is a need for RCTs to examine the influence of vitamin D on body fat.
authors: Program of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. m.soares@curtin.edu.au
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Soares
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Chan She Ping-Delfos
authors: M H
authors: MH
authors: Ghanbari
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D