Relationship between 25 hydroxyvitamin D and lipid profile in Lebanese school children.

PURPOSE: Limited information is available regarding the association of vitamin D and lipid profile in pediatric populations. The objective of this cross-sectional study is to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in a large sample of Lebanese schoolchildren and to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D and lipid profile.

METHODS: 969 Lebanese schoolchildren (505 boys and 464 girls) aged 8-18 years were recruited from 10 schools of different socioeconomic status (SES). Non-fasting total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL-Cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured. Non-HDL-C was calculated.

RESULTS: The prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency (level below 20 ng/ml) is 56.6% (48.1% in boys, 65.7% in girls). There is no significant relationship between 25(OH)D levels and age. 25(OH)D is inversely correlated with BMI in the total population, and in boys and girls (p < 0.0001, p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively) and is higher in children from high SES schools and during the summer season (p < 0.0001 in both cases). 25(OH)D is inversely correlated with triglycerides and non-HDL-C in the total population and in boys and girls (p < 0.0001 for all), and positively correlated with HDL-C in the total population and in boys but not in girls (p = 0.001, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.1, respectively). In a multilinear regression analysis, in the overall population, 25(OH)D is independently associated with sex, season, school's SES, BMI, triglycerides and non-HDL-C. In boys, the association with BMI and season is non-significant.

CONCLUSION: An independent relationship is observed between 25(OH)D and cardiometabolic risk factors in the pediatric Lebanese population Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term consequences of this relationship.