Vitamin D supplements can help obese children lose weight

Vitamin D supplements could promote weight loss in obese children, and potentially reduce risk of future heart and metabolic disease in overweight kids, says a new study.

According to a study, Vitamin D supplements could promote weight loss in obese children. It may also help in reducing the risk factors for future heart and metabolic disease in overweight kids. These findings indicate that simple vitamin D supplementation may be part of an effective strategy to tackle childhood obesity and reduce the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, in adulthood.

Simple vitamin D supplementation may be part of an effective strategy to tackle childhood obesity and reduce the risk of heart disease, in adulthood. (Shutterstock)

The study reported that children given vitamin D supplements had significantly lower body mass index, body fat and improved cholesterol levels after 12 months of supplementation. “These findings suggest that simple vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of overweight and obese children developing serious heart and metabolic complications in later life,” said lead researcher Professor Evangelia Charmandari, of the University of Athens Medical School.

The study was presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology.

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