title: Vitamin D Deficiency and Cardiometabolic Risks: A Juxtaposition of Arab Adolescents and Adults.
abstract: The recent exponential surge in vitamin D research reflects the global epidemic of vitamin D deficiency and its potential impact on several chronic diseases in both children and adults. Several subpopulations, including Arab adolescent boys and girls, remain understudied. This study aims to fill this gap. A total of 2225 apparently healthy Saudi adolescents (1187 boys and 1038 girls, aged 13-17 years old) and 830 adults (368 men and 462 women, aged 18-50 years old) were respectively recruited from different public schools and medical practices within Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Anthropometrics were taken and fasting blood samples withdrawn to examine serum glucose and lipid profile by routine analysis and 25-hydroxyvitamin D by ELISA. Almost half of the girls (47.0%) had vitamin D deficiency as compared to only 19.4% of the boys (p<0.001), 36.8% of the adult women and 17.7% of the adult men (p<0.001). Furthermore, in boys there were more significant inverse associations between serum 25(OH)vitamin D levels and cardiometabolic indices than girls, while in contrast women had more significant associations than men. Vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2) [OR 3.47 (CI1.26-5.55); p<0.05] and pre-DM [OR 2.47 (CI 1.48-4.12); p<0.01] in boys. Furthermore, vitamin D insufficiency was significantly associated with abdominal obesity in boys [OR 2.75 (CI 1.1-7.1); p<0.05]. These associations for DMT2 and abdominal obesity were not observed in adult males, girls and adult women. Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency and hyperglycemia is high among Arab adolescents. Vitamin D deficiency is mostly associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescent Arab boys. This indicates a sex- and age-related disadvantage for boys with low vitamin D status and challenges the extra-skeletal protection of vitamin D correction in adolescent females.
authors.affiliation: Biomarkers Research Program, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nasser M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Al-Daghri
authors.affiliation: Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Abdulaziz Medical City, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, 11426, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Al-Saleh
authors.affiliation: Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Specialized Diabetes and Endocrine Center, King Fahad Medical City, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, 11525, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Naji
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aljohani
authors.affiliation: Biomarkers Research Program, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Majed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alokail
authors.affiliation: Biomarkers Research Program, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Al-Attas
authors.affiliation: Biomarkers Research Program, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdullah M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Alnaami
authors.affiliation: Biomarkers Research Program, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabico
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, KSA.
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alsulaimani
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Centers and Units Administration, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Harbi
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food Science and Agriculture, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Hanan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alfawaz
authors.affiliation: Biomarkers Research Program, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Athens, 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Chrousos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D018912:Arabs; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D