Association of vitamin D with adiposity measures and other determinants in a cross-sectional study of Cypriot adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To assess vitamin D status among Cypriot adolescents and investigate potential determinants including BMI and body fat percentage (BF%).


METHODS
Participants had cross-sectional assessments of serum vitamin D, physical activity, dietary vitamin D intake and sun exposure. Linear and logistic regression models were used to explore the associations of vitamin D with potential predictors.


METHODS
Hospitals, Cyprus, November 2007-May 2008.


METHODS
Adolescents (n 671) aged 16-18 years.


RESULTS
Mean serum vitamin D was 22·90 (sd 6·41) ng/ml. Only one in ten children had sufficient levels of vitamin D (≥30 ng/ml), while the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (12-20 ng/ml) and severe deficiency (<12 ng/ml) was 31·7 % and 4·0 %, respectively. Lower vitamin D was associated with winter and spring season, female gender, reduced sun exposure in winter and darker skin. Participants with highest BMI and BF% when compared with a middle reference group had increased adjusted odds of vitamin D insufficiency (OR = 3·00; 95 % CI 1·21, 7·45 and OR = 5·02; 95 % CI 1·80, 13·97, respectively). A similar pattern, although not as strong, was shown for vitamin D deficiency with BF% (OR = 1·81; 95 % CI 1·04, 3·16) and BMI (OR = 1·51; 95 % CI 0·85, 2·67). Participants in the lowest BMI and BF% groups also displayed compromised vitamin D status, suggesting a U-shaped association.


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin D deficiency in adolescence is very prevalent in sunny Cyprus, particularly among females, those with darker skin and those with reduced sun exposure in winter. Furthermore, vitamin D status appears to have a U-shaped association with adiposity measures.
1Cyprus International Institute for Environmental & Public Health in association with Harvard School of Public Health,Cyprus University of Technology,95 Irenes Street,3041 Limassol,Cyprus.
Ourania
O
Kolokotroni
43rd Department of Pediatrics,Attikon University Hospital,University of Athens Medical School,Athens,Greece.
Anna
A
Papadopoulou
1Cyprus International Institute for Environmental & Public Health in association with Harvard School of Public Health,Cyprus University of Technology,95 Irenes Street,3041 Limassol,Cyprus.
Panayiotis K
PK
Yiallouros
2Department of Nursing,School of Health Sciences,Cyprus University of Technology,Limassol,Cyprus.
Vasilios
V
Raftopoulos
2Department of Nursing,School of Health Sciences,Cyprus University of Technology,Limassol,Cyprus.
Christiana
C
Kouta
1Cyprus International Institute for Environmental & Public Health in association with Harvard School of Public Health,Cyprus University of Technology,95 Irenes Street,3041 Limassol,Cyprus.
Demetris
D
Lamnisos
43rd Department of Pediatrics,Attikon University Hospital,University of Athens Medical School,Athens,Greece.
Polyxeni
P
Nicolaidou
2Department of Nursing,School of Health Sciences,Cyprus University of Technology,Limassol,Cyprus.
Nicos
N
Middleton
D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2 / Q000097:blood; D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003535:Cyprus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2; D002112:Calcifediol
Adiposity; Adolescents; BMI; Body fat percentage; Predictors; Vitamin D