By Andrea Hargraves 
Credits: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Belly fat
The accumulation of abdominal fat may be an indicator of vitamin D deficiency in people over the age of 50, according to research conducted by scientists in… Federal University of Sao Carlos (UFSCar)In cooperation with University College London.
According to the results of the study, it is not only a low level of vitamin D that can lead to the accumulation of fat in the body, but also excess fat in the abdominal area that can lead to a deficiency of this essential vitamin.
“We are not ruling out that vitamin D leads to obesity, just showing that abdominal fat accumulation is also a pathway,” explains Professor of Gerontology at UFSCar and author of the research published in the journal Nutrients, Thiago da Silva Alexandre. Due to the deficiency of this vitamin “vitamin”.
Belly fat x Vitamin D
To understand the potential relationship between the two factors, the team evaluated data from 2,459 Britons over the age of 50 over a 4-year period.
Evidence suggests that those with abdominal obesity have a 36% higher risk of developing vitamin D deficiency and a 64% increased risk of developing vitamin D deficiency compared to the group without abdominal obesity.
The discovery suggests that both obesity Regarding vitamin D deficiency there may be two sides of the same coin, calling into question what was known until then about the relationship between obesity and vitamin D deficiency. In the study, vitamin D deficiency was defined in those with levels as low as 30 nmol/L in the bloodstream, while vitamin D deficiency was described in those with levels between 30 and 50 nmol/L.
Prevention of health problems
The evidence could help healthcare professionals more accurately diagnose vitamin D deficiency in people with abdominal obesity. Therefore, the results of this study provide important information for public health and future research, which contributes to the prevention of health problems associated with vitamin D deficiency.