Affiliations: [a] Endocrinology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| [b] Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Mahtab Niroomand, Endocrinology Division, department of Internal Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Tel.: +98 2122718001; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: BACKGROUND:War veterans are at risk for obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus because of specific mental and physical status, and underlying disorders. Also, due to lower exposure to sunlight they are at risk of vitamin D deficiency. OBJECTIVE:We aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and obesity and metabolic syndrome in veterans in order to identify nutritional deficits, improve metabolic status and reduce the risk of related diseases. METHODS:Demographic information, anthropometric parameters and blood tests (FBS, HbA1C, TG, HDL, vitamin D3) of veterans referring to the weight disorder clinic during 2017 to 2018 were collected. RESULTS:339 veterans were included. The mean BMI was 30.4±6.7 kg/m2. 80.5% of this population had vitamin D deficiency and it was associated with weight, TG, LDL, FBS, HbA1C, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia and Diabetes. In multivariate analysis, there was a significant relationship between obesity and hypovitaminosis D (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, metabolic syndrome and obesity is high among veterans. Despite non-significant relationships, risk of metabolic syndrome is higher in patients with hypovitaminosis D. Hence, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency in veterans seems to be necessary.
Keywords: War veterans, obesity, metabolic syndrome, vitamin D level
