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Clinical Studies and Practice

Effect of adipose tissue volume loss on circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels: results from a 1-year lifestyle intervention in viscerally obese men

International Journal of Obesity volume 39, pages 1638–1643 (2015)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

Although weight loss has been associated with changes in circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels, the quantification of the increase in 25(OH)D levels as a function of adipose tissue volume loss precisely assessed by imaging has not been reported before. The objective of this substudy was to describe the effects of a 1-year lifestyle intervention on plasma 25(OH)D levels. The relationships between changes in 25(OH)D levels and changes in adiposity volume (total and by adipose tissue compartment) were studied.

Subjects/Methods:

This intervention study was performed between 2004 and 2006 and participants were recruited from the general community. Sedentary, abdominally obese and dyslipidemic men (n=103) were involved in a 1-year lifestyle modification program. Subjects were individually counseled by a kinesiologist and a nutritionist once every 2 weeks during the first 4 months with subsequent monthly visits in order to elicit a 500-kcal daily energy deficit and to increase physical activity/exercise habits. Body weight, body composition and fat distribution were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography, whereas the 25(OH)D levels were measured with an automated assay.

Results:

The 1-year intervention resulted in a 26% increase in circulating 25(OH)D (from 48±2 nmol l−1 or 19±0.8 ng ml−1 (±s.e.m.) to 58±2 nmol l−1 or 23±0.8 ng ml−1, P<0.0001) along with a 26% decrease in visceral adiposity volume (from 1947±458 to 1459±532 cm3). One-year increases in 25(OH)D levels correlated inversely with changes in all adiposity indices, especially Δvisceral (r=−0.36, P<0.0005) and Δtotal abdominal (r=−0.37, P<0.0005) adipose tissue volumes.

Conclusions:

These results indicate that there is a linear increase in circulating 25(OH)D levels as a function of adiposity volume loss, and therefore suggest a role of adiposity reduction in the management of obesity-associated vitamin D insufficiency.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. J-AN has received a postdoctoral scholarship from the ‘Fondation Bullukian’ and ‘Institut Appert’. JS has received a postdoctoral scholarship from the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. A-LB is a postdoctoral fellow supported by a fellowship from ‘Agiràdom’ (Meylan, France) and the Rhône-Alpes region (France). AT holds the Canada Research Chair in Environment and Energy Balance. PP is a senior clinical researcher of the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS). J-PD is the Scientific Director of the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec, Québec City, Québec, Canada

    A Gangloff, E Pelletier-Beaumont, J-A Nazare, J Smith, A-L Borel, I Lemieux, A Tremblay, P Poirier, N Alméras & J-P Després

  2. Lipid Research Center, CHU de Québec Research Center, Québec City, Québec, Canada

    A Gangloff & J Bergeron

  3. Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada

    E Pelletier-Beaumont, A Tremblay, N Alméras & J-P Després

  4. Centre Européen pour la Nutrition et la Santé (CENS), CarMeN Laboratory, Lyon, France

    J-A Nazare

  5. Endocrinology Department, University Hospital, Grenoble, France

    A-L Borel

  6. INSERM U1042, Grenoble, France

    A-L Borel

  7. University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France

    A-L Borel

  8. Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada

    P Poirier

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  1. A Gangloff
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Correspondence to J-P Després.

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Gangloff, A., Bergeron, J., Pelletier-Beaumont, E. et al. Effect of adipose tissue volume loss on circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels: results from a 1-year lifestyle intervention in viscerally obese men. Int J Obes 39, 1638–1643 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2015.118

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