title: Calculated adiposity and lipid indices in healthy Arab children as influenced by vitamin D status.
abstract: Both childhood obesity and vitamin D deficiency are common in the Middle East. This study aims to determine whether the associations of vitamin D status to traditional anthropometric parameters hold true for nonconventional measures of adiposity, such as body adiposity index (BAI), a measure of body fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and lipid indices, in apparently healthy Arab children.
  
  
  
  A total of 4183 apparently healthy Saudi school students (1906 boys; 2277 girls) aged 12 to 17 years were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometrics were obtained. Fasting blood glucose and lipids were measured routinely. Serum 25(OH)D was measured using chemiluminescence.
  
  
  
  In all subjects, age, BAI, waist-to-hip ratio, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) accounted for 4% of the variance in serum 25(OH)D (P < .001). All adiposity indices were inversely associated with 25(OH)D, with WHtR being the most inferior in terms of strength of association. Vitamin D deficiency significantly increased risk for low HDL-C in all subjects (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.70 [1.24-2.3]; P < .001).
  
  
  
  BAI is significantly associated with 25(OH)D levels in Arab children. WHtR is inferior than other anthropometric measures of obesity regarding the strength of association with 25(OH)D. Risk for or low HDL-C is significantly increased with vitamin D deficiency. Interventional studies may determine the potential cardioprotective effects of vitamin D correction in this population.
authors: Biomarkers Research Program Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Bin Abdullah Chair for Biomarkers Research on Osteoporosis, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: aldaghri2011@gmail.com.
authors: Nasser M
authors: NM
authors: Al-Daghri
authors: Biomarkers Research Program Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Bin Abdullah Chair for Biomarkers Research on Osteoporosis, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Shaun
authors: S
authors: Sabico
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Bin Abdullah Chair for Biomarkers Research on Osteoporosis, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Abdulaziz Medical City, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Yousef
authors: Y
authors: Al-Saleh
authors: Biomarkers Research Program Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Bin Abdullah Chair for Biomarkers Research on Osteoporosis, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Omar S
authors: OS
authors: Al-Attas
authors: Biomarkers Research Program Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Bin Abdullah Chair for Biomarkers Research on Osteoporosis, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Abdullah M
authors: AM
authors: Alnaami
authors: Biomarkers Research Program Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Bin Abdullah Chair for Biomarkers Research on Osteoporosis, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Marwan M
authors: MM
authors: AlRehaili
authors: Diabetes Centers and Units Administration, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Mohammed
authors: M
authors: Al-Harbi
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Bin Abdullah Chair for Biomarkers Research on Osteoporosis, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food Science and Agriculture, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Hanan
authors: H
authors: Alfawaz
authors: Biomarkers Research Program Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Bin Abdullah Chair for Biomarkers Research on Osteoporosis, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Chrousos
authors: Biomarkers Research Program Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Bin Abdullah Chair for Biomarkers Research on Osteoporosis, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Majed S
authors: MS
authors: Alokail
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018912:Arabs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: Arab children; Body adiposity index; HDL cholesterol; Obesity; Vitamin D deficiency