Elsevier

The Journal of Nutrition

Volume 141, Issue 8, August 2011, Pages 1524-1528
The Journal of Nutrition

Low Serum Vitamin D Is Associated with High Risk of Diabetes in Korean Adults1,21,2

https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.111.139121Get rights and content
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Abstract

Vitamin D may play a role in glucose metabolism. A low vitamin D level has been associated with increased risk of diabetes mellitus, but the association has not been confirmed in Asians. Our objective was to examine the association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels with insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus in Korean adults based on a large population-based survey. Cross-sectional analyses were carried out on 5787 Korean adults (2453 men and 3334 women) who were 20 y or older and participated in the Fourth Korea NHANES conducted in 2008. Diabetes mellitus was defined as fasting plasma glucose =7 mmol/L or current use of oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin. Insulin resistance was estimated by homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI). Compared to individuals with a sufficient serum 25(OH)D concentration ≥75 nmol/L, the OR (95% CI) for diabetes mellitus were 1.73 (1.09–2.74), 1.30 (0.91–1.84), and 1.40 (0.99–1.98) for serum 25(OH)D concentrations <25, 25 to <50, and 50 to <75 nmol/L, respectively, after multiple adjustments (P-trend < 0.0001). Furthermore, the serum 25(OH)D level was inversely associated with HOMA-IR (β = -0.061; P = 0.001) and positively associated with QUICKI (β = 0.059; P = 0.001) in overweight or obese participants. In conclusion, a low serum vitamin D concentration is associated with a high risk of diabetes mellitus in Korean adults and the concentration is inversely associated with insulin resistance in those who are overweight or obese.

Abbreviations

HOMA-IR
homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance
KNHANES
Korea NHANES
25(OH)D
25-hydroxyvitamin D
QUICKI
quantitative insulin sensitivity check index

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1

Supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (no. 20110001024).

2

Author disclosures: H. S. Choi, K-A. Kim, C-Y. Lim, S. Y. Rhee, Y-C. Hwang, K. M. Kim, K. J. Kim, Y. Rhee, and S-K. Lim, no conflicts of interest.