title: Low serum vitamin D-status, air pollution and obesity: A dangerous liaison.
abstract: The aim of this review is to provide a general overview of the possible associations among the vitamin D status, air pollution and obesity. Sunlight exposure accounts in humans for more than 90 % of the production of vitamin D. Among emerging factors influencing sunlight-induced synthesis of vitamin D, prospective and observational studies proved that air pollution constitutes an independent risk factor in the pathogenesis of vitamin D hypovitaminosis. In addition, environmental pollutants can affect risk of obesity when inhaled, in combination with unhealthy diet and lifestyle. In turn, obesity is closely associated with a low vitamin D status and many possible mechanisms have been proposed to explain this association. The associations of air pollution with low vitamin D status on the hand and with obesity on the other hand, could provide a rationale for considering obesity as a further link between air pollution and low vitamin D status. In this respect, a vicious cycle could operate among low vitamin D status, air pollution, and obesity, with additive detrimental effects on cardio-metabolic risk in obese individuals. Besides vitamin D supplementation, nutrient combination, used to maximize the protective effects against air pollution, might also contribute to improve the vitamin D status by attenuating the "obesogen" effects of air pollution.
authors.affiliation: I. O.S. & COLEMAN Srl, 80011 Acerra, Naples, Italy. luigi.barrea@unina.it.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9054-456X
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barrea
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Savastano
authors.affiliation: IRCCS SDN, Napoli Via Gianturco 113, 80143, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Somma
authors.affiliation: I. O.S. & COLEMAN Srl, 80011 Acerra, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Savanelli
authors.affiliation: I. O.S. & COLEMAN Srl, 80011 Acerra, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nappi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Albanese
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Science and Wellness, "Parthenope" University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Orio
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colao
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: Air pollution; Environmental factor; Nutritionist; Obesity; Vitamin D