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Epidemiology

Physical activity but not sedentary time is associated with vitamin D status in adolescents: study of cardiovascular risk in adolescents (ERICA)

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 73, pages 432–440 (2019)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/objectives

The association between active lifestyle components and vitamin D status in adolescents remains relatively unexplored. We aimed to investigate independent and joint associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and screen time with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations in adolescents.

Methods

This multicenter cross-sectional study involved 1152 Brazilian adolescents (age 12–17 years). Serum 25(OH)D was measured in a single laboratory and categorized as ≤20, 21–29, or ≥30 ng/mL. Demographic and lifestyle characteristics were assessed by self-reports. Ordered logistic regression was used to investigate potential associations of being physically active (MVPA ≥ 300 min/week) and excessive screen time (>2 h/day) with serum 25(OH)D concentrations.

Results

The prevalence of higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations (≥30 ng/mL) was 36.4%. In adjusted models, being physically active was associated with higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations only in boys [proportional odds ratio (POR) = 2.04, 95% CI 1.42–2.93], while excessive screen time was not associated with serum 25(OH)D. Adolescents who were physically active and limited their screen time had higher odds of a higher serum 25(OH)D concentration, but the association was significant only for boys (POR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.19–3.74).

Conclusions

MVPA may play an important role in increasing serum 25(OH)D concentrations in adolescence, especially for boys, regardless of screen time.

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Author Contributions

ACMS, FVC, KVB, MCCK, BDS, CLO, DTG, ESD, and KMBC supervised data collection. ACMS, FVC, KVB, BDS, and KMBC conducted the analysis and the interpretation of data. ACMS drafted the first version of the manuscript. All authors critically reviewed and approved the final version of the submitted manuscript.

Funding

The ERICA project was supported by FINEP (grant 01090421) and the Brazilian National Council for Technological and Scientific Development—CNPq (grants 565037/2010-2, 405009/2012-7, and 457050/2013-6). FVC is supported by CAPES. KVB and BDS were partially supported by CNPq.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Human Nutrition, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil

    Ana Carla Moreira da Silva, Eliane Said Dutra & Kênia Mara Baiocchi de Carvalho

  2. Graduate Program in Endocrinology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Felipe Vogt Cureau & Beatriz D. Schaan

  3. Institute of Health Technology Assessment (IATS), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Felipe Vogt Cureau

  4. Instituto de Nutrição, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Cecília Lacroix de Oliveira

  5. Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Denise Tavares Giannini

  6. Instituto de Estudos em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Katia Vergetti Bloch

  7. Graduate Program in Medical Sciences, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Maria Cristina Caetano Kuschnir

  8. Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Beatriz D. Schaan

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  1. Ana Carla Moreira da Silva
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Correspondence to Felipe Vogt Cureau.

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da Silva, A.C.M., Cureau, F.V., de Oliveira, C.L. et al. Physical activity but not sedentary time is associated with vitamin D status in adolescents: study of cardiovascular risk in adolescents (ERICA). Eur J Clin Nutr 73, 432–440 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0192-0

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