Low serum vitamin D level is associated with high risk of metabolic syndrome in post-menopausal women

Background: Serum vitamin D status, as indicated by 25-(OH) D, is inversely associated with glucose homeostasis, lipid profiles, and blood pressure. Evidence on the association of serum vitamin D with metabolic syndrome (MS) however, is very limited in post-menopausal women. Aim: To investigate the association between serum vitamin D and MS. Material and methods: This study was a cross-sectional study including 778 Korean adults who visited a health promotion center in a university hospital from January 2010 to May 2011. MS was defined according to the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute criteria and the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity. MS and its individual components were assessed, as well as serum 25-(OH) D levels with a multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of the MS in participants of this study was 147 (18.9%). After multiple adjustments, compared with the highest quartile serum 25( OH) D level group (19.9-55.9 ng/ml), the odds ratio for MS in the lowest level group (4.2-9.7 ng/ml) was 2.44 [95% confidence interval (CI)=1.32-4.48], in the lower level group (9.814.1 ng/ml) was 2.20 (95% CI=1.24-3.90), and in the intermediate level group (14.3-19.8 ng/ml) was 1.81 (95% CI=1.02-3.20). Among the components of MS, the adjusted odds ratios for having an elevated blood pressure, and high triglyceride level in the lowest level group were 1.81 (95% CI, 1.15-2.85), 2.74 (95% CI, 1.64-4.57), respectively. Conclusions: We found that a low serum 25-(OH) D level is significantly associated with the presence of MS and some metabolic components, especially the high triglyceride level and blood pressure in post-menopausal women.