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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Endocrinol.
Sec. Obesity
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1501818
This article is part of the Research Topic Enhancing Physical Activity in Women Across the Lifespan: Evidence-based Insights into Quantification, Intervention, Outcomes, and Limitations View all articles

25-Hydroxyvitamin D Status Does Not Affect Energy Metabolism among Young, Healthy, Non-Obese Adults: A Metabolic Chamber Study

Provisionally accepted
Lin Zhang Lin Zhang 1Zhen-Bo Cao Zhen-Bo Cao 2Haogang Cai Haogang Cai 3Xiaorong Bai Xiaorong Bai 4*Wensheng Xiao Wensheng Xiao 4,5*Yang Zhang Yang Zhang 6
  • 1 Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
  • 2 Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
  • 3 Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, Henan Province, China
  • 4 Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
  • 5 Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
  • 6 Independent person, Windermere, FL,, American Samoa

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Purpose: There is a general consensus that an inverse relationship exists between vitamin D status and body mass index (BMI) in overweight and obese individuals, leading to the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the development of unfavorable metabolic phenotypes. However, evidence from non-obese adults remains limited. This study measured energy metabolism in non-obese adults using a metabolic chamber and explored its association with vitamin D status. Methods: Sixty-nine healthy adults (mean age = 22.8 years, mean BMI = 20.7 kg/m2) participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants were categorized into vitamin D-deficient, insufficient, and sufficient groups based on the Chinese classification for total 25(OH)D levels (WS/T 677–2020). They performed typical daily activities in a metabolic chamber, where their baseline lipid profile, 24-hour energy expenditure, and substrate oxidation were measured. Results: A two-way ANOVA (seasonality × 25(OH)D) revealed no statistically significant differences in total energy expenditure, resting energy expenditure, sleeping energy expenditure, walking energy expenditure, carbohydrate oxidation rate, or fat oxidation rate among the three groups (p > 0.05). These results remained consistent even after adjusting for fat-free mass. Although statistically significant correlations were found between 25(OH)D status and certain lipid profile markers (i.e., total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and free fatty acid) (p < 0.05), these correlations were weak, with Pearson’s correlation coefficients below 0.3. Conclusions: Total 25(OH)D status does not affect energy metabolism in young, healthy, non-obese adults. Along with existing evidence, this suggests that low 25(OH)D status is more likely a consequence of unfavorable metabolic phenotypes rather than a contributing factor.

    Keywords: Energy Expenditure, lipid profile, Oxidation rate, Vitamin D, Obesity, physical activity

    Received: 25 Sep 2024; Accepted: 31 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhang, Cao, Cai, Bai, Xiao and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Xiaorong Bai, Huzhou University, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang, China
    Wensheng Xiao, Huzhou University, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang, China

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