Cross-sectional study of the associations between circulating vitamin D concentrations and insulin resistance in children aged 9-10 years of South Asian, black African Caribbean and white European origins

Donin, A., Nightingale, C. M., Sattar, N. , Fraser, W. D., Owen, C. G., Cook, D. G. and Whincup, P. H. (2023) Cross-sectional study of the associations between circulating vitamin D concentrations and insulin resistance in children aged 9-10 years of South Asian, black African Caribbean and white European origins. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, (doi: 10.1136/jech-2023-220626) (PMID:38123968) (Early Online Publication)

Abstract

Lower circulating vitamin D 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations are associated with higher type 2 diabetes risk in adults, although causality remains uncertain. However, associations between 25(OH)D and type 2 diabetes risk markers in children have been little studied, particularly in ethnic minority populations. We examined whether 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with insulin resistance in children and whether lower 25(OH)D concentrations in South Asians and black African Caribbeans could contribute to their higher insulin resistance. Cross-sectional study of 4650 UK primary school children aged 9-10 years of predominantly South Asian, black African Caribbean and white European ethnicity. Children had fasting blood measurements of circulating 25(OH)D metabolite concentrations, insulin and glucose. Lower 25(OH)D concentrations were observed in girls, South Asians and black African Caribbeans. In analyses adjusted for age, sex, month, ethnic group and school, circulating 25(OH)D was inversely associated with fasting insulin (-0.38%, 95% CI -0.49% to -0.27%), homoeostasis model assessment (HOMA) insulin resistance (-0.39%, 95% CI -0.50% to -0.28%) and fasting glucose (-0.03%, 95% CI -0.05% to -0.02%) per nmol/L increase in 25(OH)D; associations did not differ between ethnic groups. Ethnic differences in fasting insulin and HOMA insulin resistance (higher among South Asian and black African Caribbeans) were reduced by >40% after adjustment for circulating 25(OH)D concentrations. Circulating vitamin D was inversely associated with insulin resistance in all ethnic groups; higher insulin resistance in South Asian and black African children were partly explained by their lower vitamin D levels. Whether vitamin D supplementation can reduce emerging type 2 diabetes risk needs further evaluation. [Abstract copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.]

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Funding: Data collection in the CHASE Study was supported by grants from the Wellcome Trust (068362/Z/02/Z) and the UK Medical Research Council National Prevention Research Initiative (NPRI) (G0501295). The Funding Partners for this NPRI award were: British Heart Foundation; Cancer Research UK; Department of Health; Diabetes UK; Economic and Social Research Council; Medical Research Council; Research and Development Office for the Northern Ireland Health and Social Services; Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Executive Health Department; and Welsh Assembly Government.
• Status: Early Online Publication
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Sattar, Professor Naveed
• Authors: Donin, A., Nightingale, C. M., Sattar, N., Fraser, W. D., Owen, C. G., Cook, D. G., and Whincup, P. H.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health
• Journal Name: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• ISSN: 0143-005X
• ISSN (Online): 1470-2738
• Published Online: 11 December 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023
• First Published: First published in Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2023
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence