Body composition and nutritional and metabolic parameters in postmenopausal women sufficient, insufficient and deficient in vitamin D

ABSTRACT Objective We investigated changes in body composition and nutritional and metabolic parameters in a group of postmenopausal women who were classified as sufficient, insufficient and deficient in vitamin D. Subjects and methods A total of 106 postmenopausal women were included in this cross-sectional study and classified according to their serum levels of 25-OH-vitamin D as sufficient (≥ 30 ng/mL; group S), insufficient (20.1 and 29.9 ng/mL; group I) or deficient (≤ 20 ng/mL; group D) in vitamin D. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA); dietary recall questionnaires were completed; and blood samples were analysed to compare the metabolic and nutritional status of the study groups. Results Eleven (10.4%) of the women were classified in group S, 50 (47.2%) in group I and 45 (42.4%) in group D, with a mean serum level for 25-OH-D of 21.1 ± 7.0 ng/mL in all participants. Body composition did not differ among the groups. Serum levels of 25-OH-D were negatively correlated with serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Conclusions Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency were highly prevalent in our group of postmenopausal women, showing an association with an unfavourable lipid profile.

Diabetes mellitus / Diabetes mellitus

O diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) compreende 90% a 95% de todos os casos de diabetes, tem etiologia poligênica e está intrinsecamente ligado à obesidade, sobretudo visceral. O aumento mundial da sua incidência reflete, em última instância, as modificações dietético-comportamentais da população atual. Caracteriza-se por defeitos na ação e secreção de insulina, gerando um estado de hiperglicemia persistente que, apesar de assintomático ao início, resulta em complicações micro e macrovasculares no transcorrer da sua evolução, o que o torna hoje uma das doenças mais dispendiosas aos sistemas de saúde. O propósito deste artigo é esclarecer os atuais critérios diagnósticos do DM2 e a importância da abordagem terapêutica precoce e eficaz, capaz de evitar a progressão das complicações vasculares.