New research shows Vitamin D deficiency, a common factor amongst children in USA to be linked with obesity and different types of fat distribution in white and black youngsters.
 
Certain foods are contain Vitamin D, however, humans synthesize most of the nutrient they need via sunlight and skin exposure, including taking supplements to increase Vitamin D levels.
 
The Vitamin D levels of 237 healthy obese and non-obese white and black children aged 8 to 18 years were checked for their study, and researchers found most of them to be deficient in Vitamin D.  Higher body mass index and fat levels, including lower levels of good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol have been associated with low levels of vitamin D.
 
According to investigators, vitamin deficient amongst white children found higher levels of fat between internal organs i.e. visceral adipose tissue, while black children were more likely to have higher levels of fat just under the skin or subcutaneous adipose tissue.
 
The study has been published in the May issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, including the Journal of Adolescent Health.
 
Low vitamin D was also seen to be prevalent in all females, 72% of whom were deficient and 28% classed as insufficient.  Moreover, 91% of the males also had low vitamin D status, of which 69% seemed to be deficient and 22% insufficient.
 
In a news release from the Endocrine Society, lead author Dr. Silva Arslanian from the University of Pittsburgh, said levels of Vitamin D deficiency is rampant amongst American youth, and it is also suggested it is also playing a role in the increasing rates of type 2 diabetes amongst adults.
 
Meanwhile, other research published in the Archives of Neurology reports those in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease could be at a higher risk of several conditions, because of Vitamin D insufficiency.