ESPE Abstracts

Background: The prevalence of childhood obesity has been rapidly increasing worldwide and the last report of World Health Organisation define it as epidemic and one of the most serious global public health challenges for the 21st century. Obese children and adolescents are at an increased risk of developing various health problems including type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease. Obesity is a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with variability in the insulin resistance (IR) and the peripheral insulin sensitivity.

Objective and hypotheses: The aim of the study was to assess the relation between obesity, IR and vitamin D status in obese pubertal children.

Method: We studied 30 children (17 male and 13 female, aged 10–17 years) with body mass index above the 97th centile and no other co-morbidities. We used serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) as known to be the better marker of vitamin D status. The insulin resistance we measured with the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) as a method for assessing β-cell function and IR from basal (fasting) glucose and insulin concentrations.

Results: The results showed vitamin D insufficiency in all patients. Twelve children (8 male and 4 female) had mild (50-80 nmol/l) and 18 children (9 male and 9 female) had moderate vitamin D insufficiency. There were no vitamin D deficient patients. Increased insulin resistance as HOMA-IR>2.5 we found in 18 patients.

Conclusion: In the analysed cohort we found lower level of the serum 25(OH)D as confirmed in many studies. Our results did not confirm insulin resistance in all patients but in the majority the high levels of HOMA-IR correlated with low levels of 25(OH)D as per the moderate vitamin D insufficiency. Prospective studies on a large group of individuals need to be done to confirm the findings.