Grzegorz Sobek
Artur Mazur
Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents
Grzegorz Sobek
Artur Mazur
Medical Faculty University of Rzeszow, Rzeszow, Poland
Departament Paediatrics, Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, Rzeszow, Poland
Abstract
Obesity is a global problem, more and more children have a weight above the norm. Obesity is related to circulatory system and metabolic disorders. Relations between obesity and metabolic disorders are known, however factors affecting the risk of such syndromes may extend beyond mentioned relations. Existence of vitamin D receptors in many of body cells, especially in pancreas islets of Langerhans indicates the possibility of significant role played by vitamin D in glucose homeostasis. Several epidemiological studies have reported that low 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels, the most common vitamin D indicator in plasma, very frequent in obese children, is correlated with insulin resistance. Moreover, mechanism of vitamin D is associated both with calcium level in tissues, that regulate insulin synthesis and insulin secretion, and direct secretion of pancreatic beta cells. Parathormone PTH, often defined as obesity indicator, is also crucial. Its high level indicates the risk of metabolic disorders. There is no doubt that reducing of body mass together with complementation of vitamin D insufficiency is the best solution for obese children to decrease the risk of incidence and limit the consequences of type 2 diabetes, one of most common civilization disease.
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