A study of over 5,500 adults aged 50 and older in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing shows that combining abdominal obesity with vitamin D deficiency can more than double the risk of early death.
Key Takeaways
- 123% Higher Mortality Risk: Having both excess belly fat and low vitamin D levels leads to a vastly higher risk of death over six years than having neither condition.
- Individual Effects: On their own, belly fat carries a 47% higher risk of death, while vitamin D deficiency alone carries a 91% higher risk.
- The Harmful Cycle: Excess fat "traps" vitamin D inside fat cells, keeping it out of the bloodstream. Meanwhile, low vitamin D impairs the immune system and worsens the chronic inflammation caused by belly fat.
"When these two conditions occur together, one amplifies the effects of the other, further increasing the risk of death."
— Dr. Tiago Silva Alexandre, UFSCar
Source: Science Daily
