Obesity, especially teen obesity has numerous effects on physical and emotional health. Poor dietary habits, a lack of exercise and smoking all contribute to obesity. However, new findings suggest that a lack of vitamin D can also contribute to adolescent and teen obesity.
In addition, low levels of vitamin D can lead to high blood pressure and high blood sugar, which compound the health issues.
A new study by Jared Reis of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said that teens in the study with the lowest vitamin D levels were more than twice as likely to have high blood pressure and high blood sugar. The teens were also four times more likely to have metabolic syndrome, defined as having three or more conditions that contribute to heart disease and diabetes – including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, big waists, and high cholesterol.
Admittedly, more research will be needed to factor whether vitamin D is really behind the health problems and whether getting more would make a difference.
In addition, minorities were also more likely to be vitamin-D deficient, however the study didn’t determine if they were more like to suffer from the normal vitamin D deficient conditions.
To further boost the findings of the Johns Hopkins study, researchers at the Medical College of Georgia studied more than 650 teenagers from 14 to 19. They found that teens reporting a higher intake of vitamin D had lower body fat and lower amounts of abdominal fat. Once again, it showed that minority teens were getting insufficient vitamin D intake.
Black females had the lowest vitamin D intake and also had higher percentages of body fat and abdominal fat, while black males reported the lowest percentages of body fat and visceral fat. White males, were shown to be getting the recommended minimum amount of vitamin D.
While we’re still waiting to see whether the vitamin D deficiency is a cause-and-effect relationship, we have maintained all along that vitamin D is an important part of any healthy lifestyle. Although we get vitamin D from the sun and its rays, overexposure could prove damaging so we have to use caution and limit our exposure to the sun. Plus, with our busy schedules and cold weather, it’s not always possible to get outside. That’s where tanning beds can be helpful. Research has shown that people who use indoor tanning equipment that emits UVB – which most equipment does – also produce Vitamin D. Studies have also shown that indoor tanning clients have higher Vitamin D blood levels than non-tanners according to tanningtruth.com.
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