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Calcium and vitamin D for obesity: a review of randomized controlled trials

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 65, pages 994–1004 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

Obesity often coexists with low calcium intake and vitamin D insufficiency. There is emerging evidence of a role for these nutrients in the regulation of body weight. However, it is unclear whether increasing intakes of calcium and/or vitamin D during energy restriction, is a better strategy for weight and fat loss. We searched the literature from 2000 to date for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on weight loss that had increased calcium or vitamin D per se, or in combination. Primary and secondary studies were included for this analysis. A total of 15 RCTs on calcium with or without vitamin D and seven on vitamin D alone met our criteria. Two studies reported that supplemental calcium significantly increased fat loss during caloric restriction by 1.8 and 2.2 kg, three found differences between 1 and 3.5 kg but were statistically nonsignificant, while nine trials were equivocal (±0.7 kg). The data on vitamin D supplementation during weight loss were too few to make firm conclusions. Current evidence from RCTs did not consistently support the contention that calcium and vitamin D accelerated weight or fat loss in obesity. There were studies that favoured the hypothesis but lacked the statistical power. There is a need for RCTs to examine the influence of vitamin D on body fat.

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Acknowledgements

MJS acknowledges Dairy Australia and Diabetes Australia for grants in the area of calcium, dairy and energy balance. No prior permission was necessary from these organizations before submission of this manuscript.

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  1. Program of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    M J Soares & M H Ghanbari

  2. Population Science, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, West Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    W Chan She Ping-Delfos

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Contributors: WCSP-D and MHG independently conducted the literature searches, assembled the initial tables and contributed to the writing of the manuscript. MJS planned the review, screened the evidence for inclusion, and wrote the manuscript.

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Soares, M., Chan She Ping-Delfos, W. & Ghanbari, M. Calcium and vitamin D for obesity: a review of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Clin Nutr 65, 994–1004 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2011.106

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