Kids that are overweight often fall into two areas; 1) They are overfed (too much sugar) and 2) They are malnourished. New research has suggested that kids with more body fat and faster weight gain tend to have low levels of Vitamin D. This vitamin is technically a hormone which suggests another hormonal characteristic to excess body fat.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition tested vitamin D levels among 479 school children (ages 5 to 12) from Bogota, Colombia and then monitored weight and other measurements over the course of 30 months. They found that those with the lowest levels of Vitamin D gained weight the fastest. Overall, children with the highest Body Mass Index (BMI) had 18% lower Vitamin D levels than normal weight kids. The Study co-author Diane Gilbert-Diamond says that these findings suggest “that low Vitamin D status may put children at risk for obesity.” And vice versa: Vitamin D gets trapped in excess fat, and cannot easily escape to make it into the blood stream.
Vitamin D has been gaining increased recognition for the critical role it plays in supporting various areas of health. Since Vitamin D is needed to utilize calcium, low levels can take down bones and teeth. Also, a University of California at San Diego study found increased Vitamin D levels translated into lower rates of various cancers. Up-and-coming research also links low levels of Vitamin D to problems with chronic pain and emotional balance.
Since Vitamin D comes from our exposure to the sun, children living in areas that do not have as much sunlight and those living in the cold areas of the United States tend to have lower levels of Vitamin D. Also, kids these days tend to be more sedentary that children were only 20 years ago. Hence, please ensure that not only your children, but also you, have a high quality Vitamin D supplement that is being taken on a daily basis.
Health Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The statements and products are not intended to diagnose, cure, prevent or treat any diseases.
