Vitamin D supplements help obese children shed weight, study finds

Can a capsule a day keep the fat away? Taking vitamin D supplements helps obese children shed weight, study finds

• About a third of American kids are obese or overweight  
• Even more – seven out of 10 – are vitamin D-deficient 
• Previous research has linked low vitamin D levels to weaker bones and immune systems and more belly fat
• A new Greek study suggests that taking daily D supplements may help obese children lose weight  

Taking vitamin D supplements may help obese children lose weight, a new study suggests.

About a third of American children are either overweight or obese, and the vast majority eat diets lacking in crucial minerals and vitamins, including D. 

The most fundamental and most surefire ways to prevent and combat obesity in children are healthy diet and exercise plans – but some families could undoubtedly use a little help. 

A new Greek study linked a daily dose of vitamin D to a lower rates of obesity, better cholesterol levels and lower overall body masses. 

Obese children who took vitamin D supplements for a year had lower BMIs, and healthier cholesterol levels than kids who got a placebo at the end of the 12 months, a new study reports

Obese and overweight children are far more likely to become obese and overweight adults, putting them at greater risks for heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. 

There isn’t really any substitute for balanced nutritious diets and regular physical activity.

But weight and weight loss are key issues to American health and, as a result, scientists are gradually uncovering more about the roles microbes, vitamins and more play. 

Some of this research has suggested that people with more belly fat may be vitamin D deficient. 

Not getting enough of the sunshine-nutrient might leave them with weaker bones and weaker immune systems, too. 

Diets brimming with vitamin D-rich foods, like fish and milk may have protective effects against diabetes, hair loss and cancer – not to mention improving your mood. 

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Sunlight, too, radiates vitamin D, so getting outside can help to restore your D deficiency. he University of Athens Medical School

Despite these easy ways of getting the nutrient into the body, most Americans don’t get enough vitamin D. 

In fact, some estimates suggests that as much as 40 percent of the American population is vitamin D deficient. 

And it may be an even bigger problem among children. 

One study found that seven out of 10 kids in the US have low vitamin D levels. 

But the new study, conducted by researchers at the University of Athens Medical School in Greece, suggests that turning that around could help turn around the upward trend in childhood obesity, too. 

The researchers studied 232 obese children over the course of one year.

About half of the children were given daily vitamin D supplement capsules. The other 115 got a placebo. 

The kids that got the regular supplements had lower body masses, lower body fat percentages and better cholesterol levels at the end of the 12-month study than did the children who got a placebo. 

By helping combating risk factors early in life, ‘these findings suggest that simple vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of overweight and obese children developing serious heart and metabolic complications in later life,’ said lead study author Dr Evangelia Charmandari. 

She and her team have not yet established the safety profile of long-term vitamin D supplements for children, but she says they plan to test the capsules’ potential benefits for children and adolescents who have already developed high blood pressure and cholesterol.    

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