US Pharm. 2013;38(7):18.
Bethesda, MD—Vitamin D deficiency may play a role in the increased risk of asthma and allergies in obese children and adolescents, according to researchers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Of the 86 subjects aged 10 to 18 years, 54 were obese and vitamin D deficient. BMI standard deviations (BMI Z-scores) were calculated, and levels of leptin, adiponectin, and immunoglobulin were measured. Correlations between severity of obesity and adipokine levels and some biochemical measures of allergic disease were significant. The relationship between BMI Z-score and markers of allergic disease appeared to depend on the vitamin D deficiency seen in obese subjects, leading to the conclusion that the increased risk of allergy in obesity may be mediated by vitamin D.
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