title: Association of vitamin D deficiency with cardiovascular disease risk in children: implications for the Asia Pacific Region.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vitamin D deficiency significantly affects cardiovascular disease risk. Cardiovascular disease is epidemic in nature. Because the prevalence of cardiovascular disease has been increasing in children, it has been changing from an adulthood disease to a childhood disease. Therefore, formulating an effective prevention strategy against cardiovascular disease development in children is crucial.
  
  
  METHODS
  From PubMed, we identified and reviewed studies evaluating the association of vitamin D deficiency with cardiovascular disease risk in children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mechanism through which vitamin D protects against cardiovascular disease has yet to be fully elucidated. Vitamin D deficiency may be associated with various risk factors for cardiovascular disease that are already manifested in childhood, including obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with cardiovascular disease because it promotes vascular stiffness and calcification, leading to atherosclerosis. However, studies investigating the effectiveness of vitamin D in preventing cardiovascular disease risk by using an ideal study design are scant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D deficiency in children may increase cardiovascular disease risk, which tends to manifest in childhood. Because data on the association of vitamin D deficiency with cardiovascular disease risk among children are limited and inconclusive, additional studies are required to investigate this association in children in general and in a setting with naturally abundant sun exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, DR Sardjito Hospital/Faculty of Medicine Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Email: indah.kartika.m@ugm.ac.id.
authors.forename: Indah K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Murni
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Health, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Dian C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Sulistyoningrum
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, DR Sardjito Hospital/Faculty of Medicine Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Vicka
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oktaria
mesh_terms: D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*