Objective  To investigate the relationship of vitamin D deficiency with risk factors of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders in obese children.

  Methods  Fifty obese children were selected as obese group and 50 healthy children were selected as control group. The risk factors of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders were compared in children between the obese group and the control group, vitamin D deficiency and non-vitamin D deficiency children in the obese group, and children with vitamin D deficiency and non-vitamin D deficiency in the control group. The correlations between 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and other indexes were analyzed.

  Results  Body mass index (BMI), the homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), alanine transaminase (ALT), ratio of vitamin D deficiency, right carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and left CIMT in the obesity group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was negatively correlated with age, body mass, BMI and left CIMT of all enrolled children (P < 0.05). In the obese children, 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was negatively correlated with age, body mass, BMI and left CIMT (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level in the obese children is significantly correlated with cardiovascular risk factors of CIMT. It is not associated with HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-C and other risk factors for metabolic disorders.