Article:
Calcium and vitamin D supplementation is associated with decreased abdominal visceral adipose tissue in overweight and obese adults
– Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Jan 2012
By Jennifer L Rosenblum, et al.
Abstract:
Background: Several studies suggest that calcium and vitamin D (CaD) may play a role in the regulation of abdominal fat mass.
Objective: This study investigated the effect of calcium & vitamin D-supplemented orange juice (OJ) on weight loss and reduction of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in overweight and obese adults (mean ± SD age: 40.0 ± 12.9 y).
Design: Two parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were conducted with either regular or reduced-energy (lite) orange juice.
For each 16-wk trial, 171 participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups.
• The treatment groups consumed three 240-mL glasses of OJ (regular or lite) fortified with 350 mg Calcium and 100 IU vitamin D per serving,
• And the control groups consumed either unfortified regular or lite OJ.
Computed tomography scans of VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue were performed by imaging a single cut at the lumbar 4 level.
Results:
After 16 weeks, the average weight loss (-2.45 kg) [5.4 pounds] did not differ significantly between groups.
In the regular OJ trial, the reduction of VAT was significantly greater (P = 0.024) in the calcium & vitamin D group (-12.7 ± 25.0 cm2) [12.7 square cm = about 2 square inches] than in the control group (-1.3 ± 13.6 cm2).
In the lite OJ trial, the reduction of VAT was significantly greater (P = 0.039) in the calcium & vitamin D group (-13.1 ± 18.4 cm2) than in the control group (-6.4 ± 17.5 cm2) after control for baseline VAT.
The effect of calcium and vitamin D on VAT remained highly significant when the results of the 2 trials were combined (P = 0.007).
Conclusions: The findings suggest that calcium and/or vitamin D supplementation contributes to a beneficial reduction of VAT. This trial is registered at clinicaltrial.gov as NCT00386672, NCT01363115.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Jan 2012. By Rosenblum JL, Castro VM, Moore CE, Kaplan LM. Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center and Gastrointestinal Unit, Boston, Massachusetts; Beverage Institute for Health & Wellness of The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, USA.
