Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its correlate with overweight and obesity in community-dwelling old adults

Abstract EN

Background : Vitamin D has different biological actions in the body.

Vitamin D has the pleiotropic effects in multiple organ systems, and Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) was suggested to be associated with overweight and obesity according to previous reports.

Several interventional studies have examined the effect of Vitamin D supplementation on overweight and obesity.

Objectives: the aim of this study is to identify the prevalence of VDD and its correlate with overweight and obesity in community-dwelling old adults.

Materials and Methods : This was a cross-sectional study that included convenient consecutive sample of elderly people who attended the office of retired employees and the elders' home in Hilla City Babylon Province-Iraq.

The period of the study started from the first of January to September 2019, and a pretested semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview the participants after obtaining their verbal consent.

The sample included (300) old adults of both genders ; the serum level of Vitamin D was assessed by chemo immunoassay method.

The weight was measured in kilograms by using weight measuring balanced scale for all individuals, and height was measured (in centimeters) by using a fixed board in standing position without shoes, the head in the horizontal plane.

The body mass index was calculated according to weight in kg /height in m2.

Results : The study included 300 participants ; most of the study sample had either insufficiency or deficiency of Vitamin D level.

Obese and overweight elders in this study had significant low serum Vitamin D level (both deficiency and insufficiency of vitamin) as compared to the no obese group ; this difference was statistically significant P < 0.

05.

Conclusion : There was a significant inverse relationship between Vitamin D level and excess bodyweight in Iraqi old adults.