title: Vitamin D and body composition in the elderly.
abstract: To investigate the association between vitamin D status and body composition in the elderly.
  
  
  
  This study was embedded in the Rotterdam Study, a population-based prospective study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, including subjects aged 55 years and older. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured between 1997 and 1999. Total body fat, android fat, gynoid fat and lean mass were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) during a follow-up visit after a median time of 5 years (2002-2004). We calculated body fat percentage, lean mass percentage, and android/gynoid fat ratio. We had 2158 participants included in our analysis. We used multivariable linear regression models. Serum 25(OH)D was analyzed continuously and after categorization according to cut-offs.
  
  
  
  Mean (±SD) serum 25(OH)D concentration of the study population was 52.6 ± 25.4 nmol/L. Compared to subjects with an adequate vitamin D status (25(OH)D ≥ 75 nmol/L), vitamin D deficient participants (25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L) had a higher body fat percentage (β = 1.29, 95% CI: 0.55, 2.04) whereas no association was found with lean mass (β = 0.01, 95%CI: -0.33, 0.35). Lower 25(OH)D was associated with higher total body fat percentage specifically in participants without cardio-metabolic disease. Each 10 unit increase in serum 25(OH)D was associated with 0.03 unit decrease in android fat (β = -0.03, 95%CI: -0.06, -0.01); after adjustment for BMI the association was no longer significant. Serum 25(OH)D was also associated with the android/gynoid fat ratio but this was also mainly explained by BMI.
  
  
  
  Lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with a higher fat mass percentage. The association between serum 25(OH)D and differential fat distribution in the elderly was mainly explained by BMI and deserves further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.vitezova@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitezova
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Taulant
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muka
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M Carola
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Zillikens
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Trudy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Voortman
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Andre G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Uitterlinden
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rivadeneira
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Leiden University College, The Hague, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jessica C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kiefte-de Jong
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Oscar H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Franco
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: 25-Hydroxivitamin D; Body composition; Body fat distribution; The elderly