Study Links Low Vitamin D Levels With Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes In Obese Children

Low vitamin D levels in obese children are a significant predictor of the risk of type 2 diabetes, U.S. researchers find. Past studies have associated low vitamin D levels to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, though the mechanisms of the association are not fully understood. The study shows that obese children with lower vitamin D levels had higher degrees of insulin resistance. The researchers said they could not prove that low vitamin D causes type 2 diabetes, but the findings “suggest that low vitamin D levels may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes." They noted that poor dietary habits such as skipping breakfast and increased soda and juice intake were associated with the lower vitamin D levels in obese children.