Association between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and cardiometabolic risk factors in adults in rural and urban settings

Abstract Background An inverse association between vitamin D status and cardiometabolic risk has been reported but this relationship may have been affected by residual confounding from adiposity and physical activity due to imprecise measures of these variables. We aimed to investigate the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and cardiometabolic risk factors, with adjustment for objectively-measured physical activity and adiposity. Methods This was a population-based cross-sectional study in 586 adults in Cameroon (63.5% women). We assessed markers of glucose homoeostasis (fasting blood glucose (BG), 2 h post glucose load BG, HOMA-IR)) and computed a metabolic syndrome score by summing the sex‐specific z‐scores of five risk components measuring central adiposity, blood pressure, glucose, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Results Mean±SD age was 38.3 ± 8.6 years, and serum 25(OH)D was 51.7 ± 12.5 nmol/L. Mean 25(OH)D was higher in rural (53.4 ± 12.8 nmol/L) than urban residents (50.2 ± 12.1 nmol/L), p = 0.002. The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency (