Vitamin D can reduce diabetes risk in obese children

Children and adolescents battling obesity could get a boost from vitamin D supplements, according to recent recent from the University of Missouri.

Catherine Peterson, an associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology at MU, and her colleagues found that increasing vitamin D intake helped obese kids better control their blood sugar levels—an important part of staving off type 2 diabetes.

Teens randomly assigned vitamin D or placebo

In the study, 35 pre-diabetic obese children and teens with insufficient vitamin D levels were given either a daily high-dose vitamin D supplement or a placebo for six months. Participants who took the supplements became vitamin D sufficient and also showed lowered insulin levels.

"By increasing vitamin D intake alone, we got a response that was nearly as powerful as what we have seen using a prescription drug," said Peterson in a news release.

Not a cure for all, study warns

While vitamin D has been shown to also be helpful for adults battling diabetes, the study authors warn that not everyone should be taking high doses of the supplement. Peterson explains:

For clinicians, the main message from this research is to check the vitamin D status of their obese patients, because they're likely to have insufficient amounts. Adding vitamin D supplements to their diets may be an effective addition to treating obesity and its associated insulin resistance.

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Obese individuals are especially at risk for vitamin D deficiency, as fat tissues store the vitamin which blocks it from being absorbed properly by the body.

Vitamin D is associated with healthy bones, muscles and nerves. Dietary sources include fish, eggs, cheese and some fortified cereals or juices.

Source: University of Missouri