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Association of body fat and vitamin D status and the effect of body fat on the response to vitamin D supplementation in Pakistani immigrants in Denmark

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 69, pages 405–407 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency and obesity are both prevalent conditions in the northern countries, especially among immigrants. The aims were to assess the possible relationship between body fat and vitamin D status, and to investigate the effect of body fat on the response to oral vitamin D supplementation in Pakistani immigrants in Denmark. Data were obtained from a 1-year double-blind randomised controlled trial with oral vitamin D supplementation. A total of 122 women and men received either vitamin D3 supplementation (10 or 20 μg/day) or placebo. No association was found between body fat percentage and vitamin D status in a multiple linear regression model (P<0.001). No effect of body fat was seen on the vitamin D status response following the intervention with vitamin D. In conclusion, there was no baseline association between body fat percentage and vitamin D status, and body fat percentage had no effect on the response to vitamin D supplementation.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Karin Hess Ygil, Dorthe Strange and Nighat Kwajada for the sampling and Birgitte Hermansen for assisting the DXA-scans. This study is an addition to the OPTIFORD-project ‘Towards a strategy for optimal vitamin D fortification’, financed by EU, the Fifth Framework Programme (QLK1-CT-2000-00623) and by the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark. This study is an addition to the OPTIFORD-project ‘Towards a strategy for optimal vitamin D fortification’, financed by EU, the Fifth Framework Programme (QLK1-CT-2000-00623) and by the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark

Author contributions

RA collected the data; IMG and IMN undertook the statistical analyses and wrote this paper; RA, CM and LO designed the study; and JJ analysed the S-25(OH)D. All authors contributed to the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Søborg, Denmark

    I M Grønborg, I M Lundby & R Andersen

  2. Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    C Mølgaard

  3. Division of Food Chemistry, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Søborg, Denmark

    J Jakobsen

  4. Department of Medicine, Slagelse Sygehus, Slagelse, Denmark

    L Ovesen

Authors
  1. I M Grønborg
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  2. I M Lundby
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  3. C Mølgaard
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  4. J Jakobsen
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  5. L Ovesen
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  6. R Andersen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to I M Grønborg.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Grønborg, I., Lundby, I., Mølgaard, C. et al. Association of body fat and vitamin D status and the effect of body fat on the response to vitamin D supplementation in Pakistani immigrants in Denmark. Eur J Clin Nutr 69, 405–407 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.254

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.254

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