The implications of vitamin D deficiency on COVID-19 for at-risk populations.

Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread to > 10 000 000 individuals in a short time. With no pharmacological agents successfully implemented to control the outbreak, the use of less invasive nonpharmacological agents, such as vitamin D, are increasingly being studied. This purpose of this article is to determine the current knowledge about the risk of COVID-19 development for populations at risk for vitamin D deficiency, including individuals living with overweight and obesity, those of older age, and racial or ethnic minorities. Despite the documented impact of vitamin D on viral disease prevention, many subgroups at risk for contracting COVID-19 are also known to have increased rates of vitamin D deficiency. Because vitamin D is most commonly obtained from sunlight, when interpreted alongside the stay-at-home orders, the importance of identifying safe approaches to obtain sufficient vitamin D is apparent. Furthermore, elucidating the cause-and-effect relationship between vitamin D and COVID-19, including optimal dosing for COVID-19 outcomes, is also warranted for immediate investigation.

Qualitative Research on the Real-Time Decision Making of WIC Participants While Food Shopping: Use of Think-Aloud Methodology.

BACKGROUND: People of lower socioeconomic status often experience disparities related to dietary intake as compared with People of higher socioeconomic status. Foods purchased influence the availability of foods in the home environment, and availability of foods in the home environment is associated with dietary intake. OBJECTIVE: To identify what factors influence food purchasing decisions of low-income parents while food shopping. DESIGN: A qualitative study using think-aloud methodology, the processing of information through verbalization concurrent with task performance, was used to verbally capture real-time decision making. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Twenty-eight parents with a preschool-aged child enrolled in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Study visits took place at the WIC clinic office and local grocery stores. MAIN OUTCOMES: Reasons for making decisions while food shopping. ANALYSIS: Audio recordings were transcribed, and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize demographics and shopping behaviors. RESULTS: A parent's decision in a food purchase was based on child preference, value, need of an item, or the parent choice for a product. In addition, themes emerged related to participant shopping behavior included the influence of participation in WIC on food and beverage purchases, multiple trips to the store, and a frequent focus on purchasing bottled water and juice. The average shopping trip was 31.5±15.7 minutes, and the median amount spent was $38.61. CONCLUSION: Understanding the influences of parent decisions while making food purchases can better help inform the nutrition education provided as part of WIC.

Validation of a Newly Developed Food Frequency Questionnaire to Assess Dietary Intakes of Magnesium.

Magnesium (Mg) intake is an important indication of an individual's Mg status, but no validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess intake currently exists. The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate the validity of a semi-quantitative Mg food frequency questionnaire (MgFFQ) against a 14-day food diary to assess average daily Mg intakes. In this cross-sectional study, 135 adults aged 18 to 75 completed the 33-item MgFFQ and a 14-day food diary to assess their Mg intakes. Coefficients of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and/or Spearman's rank correlation coefficient tests were used to determine the relationship between the MgFFQ and the average Mg intake from the 14-day food diary among all participants, men, women, age groups, and body mass index (BMI) groups. The correlation between the MgFFQ and the 14-day food diary was significant (p < 0.05) for all participants (r = 0.798), men (r = 0.855), women (r = 0.759), normal weight (r = 0.762), overweight (r = 0.858), and obese (r = 0.675) weight statuses, and in all age groups. The calcium to magnesium intake (Ca:Mg) ratio in all participants was higher than optimal, 3.39 (2.11). Our results suggest that the MgFFQ is a valid method to capture Mg intake over an extended period of time, therefore acting as a valuable tool to quickly determine Mg intake.

Low dietary magnesium intake alters vitamin D-parathyroid hormone relationship in adults who are overweight or obese.

Vitamin D metabolism is dependent on magnesium (Mg) as a cofactor; therefore, poor Mg status may alter the relationship between vitamin D metabolite serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (s25OHD) and serum parathyroid hormone (sPTH). We hypothesized that low dietary Mg intake may alter sPTH response to s25OHD in a population with excess body weight, thereby leading to a worsening of cardiometabolic health. To explore this hypothesis, we conducted a cross-sectional study on adults who were either overweight or obese (owt/ob). Dietary Mg intake was measured using a Mg food frequency questionnaire (MgFFQ). Body composition information was measured using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). Blood samples were obtained for all biochemical analyses. A total of 57 participants, 22 to 65 years of age, with a body mass index between 25 to 45 kg/m2 were divided into 3 groups, according to dietary Mg intake percentiles (Low Mg Group = <33 percentile, Medium Mg Group = 33 to 66 percentile, High Mg Group = >66 percentile). Higher s25OHD was negatively associated with lower sPTH in the High Mg Intake group (r = -0.472, P = .041), but not in other groups. A positive relationship between s25OHD and serum high-molecular weight adiponectin concentrations was observed in the High Mg Group (r = 0.532, r = 0.022), but not in other groups. Serum Interleukin-6 concentrations were negatively associated with s25OHD (r = -0.316, P = .017) for the entire study group. Based on these results, our study demonstrated that a low dietary Mg intake may alter PTH response to 25OHD.

The Endocrine Role of Bone in Cardiometabolic Health.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to discuss the current knowledge about major bone regulating hormones vitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), estrogen and bone metabolism markers osteocalcin (OC), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), N-terminal propeptide of type 1 collagen (P1NP), and c-terminal type 1 collagen (CTX) and their mechanistic effects on cardiometabolic health. RECENT FINDINGS: Bone regulating hormones, nutrients, and turnover markers influence different aspects of cardiometabolic health including body composition, cardiovascular function, and glycemic control. While most observational research supports a relationship between bone as an endocrine organ and cardiometabolic outcomes, there are limited human clinical trials to strengthen a causal link between the two. While the associations between bone and cardiometabolic health are beginning to be understood based on findings from large observations studies, further exploration of bone's causal influence on health outcomes in humans and the underlying mechanisms of effect are necessary.