People with higher blood levels of vitamin D have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Vitamin D is essential for healthy teeth and bones, and it helps the body absorb and use calcium, but the ideal intake of vitamin D has been unclear, BBC reported.
Sun exposure and fish are some of the richest sources of vitamin D. It is thought that vitamin D might be involved in processes leading to type 2 diabetes. To assess the relationship between vitamin D and the risk of type 2 diabetes, researchers at the National Public Health Institute in Finland, studied 4000 men and women for a period of 17 years.
This involved collecting data on education, smoking, leisure-time exercise, and hypertension medication through a health examination. Height, weight, and blood pressure were measured and blood samples were collected and stored.
The results showed that people with higher blood levels of vitamin D had a 40 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes as compared to those with lower levels of this vitamin. During follow up, 187 people developed type 2 diabetes.
An inverse relationship was seen between vitamin D level in blood and the development of type 2 diabetes. However, this association was reduced when adjusted for potential risk factors of type 2 diabetes like body weight, physical activity level and smoking.
A regular intake of food rich in vitamin D can reduce the risk of diabetes. Further research is needed to confirm this association and to differentiate between the independent role of vitamin D and the role of healthy dietary and lifestyle patterns in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.