High prevalence of vitamin d deficiency and its association with metabolic disorders in elderly patients

Abstract

60 years. A questionnaire was completed concerning lifestyle and chronic diseases. Clinical examination, anthropometric measurements and laboratory tests (25(OH)D, lipids, glycemia, blood morphology, serum creatinine, PTH) were performed. BMI and WHR were calculated. Patients reporting physical activity (walking, Nordic walking, swimming, cycling, other) ≥ 150 minutes per week were classified as “physically active”. Results. Vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 30 ng/ml; < 75 nmol/l) was found in 84.5%, extreme deficiency (< 10 ng/ml; < 25 nmol/l) in 6.3%. A significant correlation between serum vitamin D deficiency and visceral obesity was found (p = 0.02). No correlation was found with BMI, physical activity, lipids, diabetes or CVD. Conclusions. Vitamin D deficiency was found to be highly prevalent in the examined group of elderly people. Visceral obesity in the elderly is associated with vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D supplementation may supposedly contribute to prevention of obesity and its treatment.