Determinants of vitamin D status among overweight and obese Puerto Rican adults.
OBJECTIVE
Low vitamin D status is highly prevalent worldwide, and the major determinants are sun exposure and vitamin D intake. We aimed to measure vitamin D status in a sample of overweight/obese adults in Puerto Rico, an area with plenty of sun exposure, and relate it to vitamin D intake, sun exposure and body composition.


METHODS
Serum 25(OH)D levels (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry), body weight and fat (bioimpedance), vitamin D intake and sun exposure (questionnaires) were assessed. Analysis included age-adjusted correlations and multivariate regression.


RESULTS
In 98 subjects (66% females; 40-65 years), median serum 25(OH)D levels were 30.7 ng/ml (25-75th percentile 25.0-37.3); 55% had levels >30 ng/ml, 31% had levels between 20 and 30 ng/ml and 14% had levels <20 ng/ml. Total vitamin D intake was 180 IU/day (45-615), and the sun exposure score was 22 (17-27). After adjusting for gender, 25(OH)D levels were significantly correlated with vitamin D intake (r = 0.24, p = 0.018), the sum of sun exposure and vitamin D intake indices (r = 0.34, p = 0.001) and percent body fat (r = -0.25, p = 0.01). After adjusting for age, gender and percent body fat, the sum of sun exposure and vitamin D intake indices remained statistically associated with 25(OH)D levels (β = 1.5, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
In this group of overweight and obese individuals, 25(OH)D was significantly related to vitamin D intake, sun exposure and vitamin D intake indices and percent body fat.
Nutrition Program, Graduate School of Public Health, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR. cristina.palacios@upr.edu
Cristina
C
Palacios
Karen
K
Gil
Cynthia M
CM
Pérez
Kaumudi
K
Joshipura
D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2 / Q000097:blood*; D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D013472:Sunlight; D014505:Urban Population; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2; D002112:Calcifediol