title: The influence of puberty on vitamin D status in obese children and the possible relation between vitamin D deficiency and insulin resistance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Puberty can affect vitamin D levels.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to analyze the relation between vitamin D deficiency and puberty in obese Spanish children, along with the possible interrelation between vitamin D status and degree of insulin resistance.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out, in which clinical and biochemical data were gathered from 120 obese and 50 normal weight children between January 2011 and January 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean vitamin D levels were 19.5 and 31.6 ng/mL in obese pubertal and obese prepubertal children, respectively. About 75% of the obese pubertal subjects and 46% of the obese prepubertal subjects had vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D levels were significantly lower in pubescent subjects compared with pre-pubescent subjects in summer, fall, and winter. There was no apparent relation between vitamin D levels and homeostasis model assessment index for insulin resistence (expressed in standard deviation score for sex and Tanner stage) in either puberty or pre-puberty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Puberty may be a risk factor for the vitamin D deficiency commonly found in the obese child population. This deficiency is not associated with higher insulin resistance in obese pubertal children compared with obese prepubertal children.
authors.forename: Sonsoles
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez Medina
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gavela-Pérez
authors.forename: María Nieves
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Garrido
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Moreno
authors.forename: Adela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rovira
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garcés
authors.forename: Leandro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Soriano-Guillén
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013851:Thinness / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D