@article{3155875,
    title = "Vitamin D deficiency and calcium intake in reference to increased body
mass index in children and adolescents",
    author = "Al-Musharaf, Sara and Al-Othman, Abdulaziz and Al-Daghri, Nasser M. and and Krishnaswamy, Soundararajan and Yusuf, Deqa S. and Alkharfy, Khalid M. and and Al-Saleh, Yousef and Al-Attas, Omar S. and Alokail, Majed S. and and Moharram, Osama and Yakout, Sobhy and Sabico, Shaun and Chrousos, George and P.",
    journal = "European Journal of Pediatrics",
    year = "2012",
    volume = "171",
    number = "7",
    pages = "1081-1086",
    publisher = "Springer-Verlag",
    issn = "0340-6199, 1432-1076",
    doi = "10.1007/s00431-012-1686-8",
    keywords = "Obesity; Calcium intake; Vitamin D deficiency; Saudi adolescents",
    abstract = "Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to several chronic diseases in
adults. Studies focusing on children and adolescents, however, are
limited. In this randomized cross-sectional study, we aimed to determine
the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its relationship with
childhood obesity and dietary calcium intake among a population of
healthy urban Saudi children and adolescents. To achieve this, 331
randomly selected Saudi children (53.8% females and 46.2% males) aged
6-17 years were included. Demographic, medical, and dietary information
were collected; anthropometrics were measured. Levels of serum fasting
glucose, lipid profile, 25(OH) D, and for albumin corrected calcium were
analyzed. Vitamin D deficiency was noted in all subjects, with girls
having significantly lower vitamin D levels than boys. Mean calcium
intake was found to be 60% of the required dietary allowance (RDA),
while the mean vitamin D intake was 23% of RDA. Vitamin D status and
calcium intake were comparable in both normal and overweight/obese
children and adolescents. Vitamin D status was highest among children
who had calcium intake > 800 mg/day. In adolescents there was
insignificant but decreasing trend in BMI, which was observed to be
highest among those whose calcium intake was < 250 mg/day and lowest
among those taking > 800 mg/day. Conclusion: results from this study
suggest the importance of vitamin D fortification and increased dietary
calcium in the Saudi diet to meet RDA requirements and avoid onset of
vitamin D deficiency-related diseases in Saudi children and adolescents."
}