Can vitamin D supplementation affect cardiometabolic factors in children and adolescence with overweight and obesity? A grade-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

2025-11-25
BMC pediatrics 25(1)
- Amir Hossein Faghfouri
- Mahsa Mahmoudinezhad
- Pedram Pam
- Sanaz Barazandeh
- Fatemeh Faramarzi
- Yousef Mohammadpour
- Vali Musazadeh
- Shahsanam Gheibi

PubMed: 41291584
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-025-05795-2

Study Design

Type: Meta-Analysis
Sample size: n = 440
Population: obese/overweight children and adolescents
Methods: Systematic review of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar up to April 2025; data pooled using a random-effects model

Background

Vitamin D have been proposed as a supplement to improve cardiometabolic risk factors in obese/overweight children and adolescents. However, findings evidence remains inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the effects of vitamin D supplementation on cardiometabolic risk factors in obese/overweight children and adolescents.

Methods

A systematic review of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar up to April 2025 was searched. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on cardiometabolic factors including anthropometric indices, glycemic state and lipid profile. Data were pooled using a random-effects model to calculate weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Nine studies with 440 participants were included. The meta-analysis revealed that vitamin D supplementation no significantly improved BMI, BMI-Z, FBS, insulin, HOMA-IR, QUICKI, TG, TC, and LDL-C. However, it was accompanied with a significant reduction in HDL-C level. Subgroup-analysis showed that vitamin D₂ showed a greater reduction in HOMA-IR compared to vitamin D₃, though the effect was statistically significant (WMD = -0.51, 95% CI: -1.00 to -0.03; p = 0.038).

Conclusions

The current meta-analysis revealed vitamin D supplementation has no favorable effect on cardiometabolic risk factors. More high-quality and large-scale trials are needed to provide more robust evidence.

Research Insights

Vitamin D→Improved Insulin Sensitivity
vitamin D supplementation no significantly improved ... QUICKI
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Vitamin D→Increased HDL Cholesterol Levels
it was accompanied with a significant reduction in HDL-C level
Effect
Harmful
Effect size
Small
Vitamin D→Reduced Body Mass Index
vitamin D supplementation no significantly improved BMI, BMI-Z
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Vitamin D→Reduced Fasting Blood Glucose
vitamin D supplementation no significantly improved ... FBS
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Vitamin D→Reduced HOMA-IR
vitamin D2 showed a greater reduction in HOMA-IR compared to vitamin D3, though the effect was statistically significant (WMD = -0.51, 95% CI: -1.00 to -0.03; p = 0.038)
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Vitamin D→Reduced Insulin Levels
vitamin D supplementation no significantly improved ... insulin
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Vitamin D→Reduced LDL Cholesterol
vitamin D supplementation no significantly improved ... LDL-C
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Vitamin D→Reduced Total Cholesterol
vitamin D supplementation no significantly improved ... TC
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Vitamin D→Reduced Triglyceride Levels
vitamin D supplementation no significantly improved ... TG
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Vitamin D2→Reduced HOMA-IR
vitamin D2 showed a greater reduction in HOMA-IR compared to vitamin D3, though the effect was statistically significant (WMD = -0.51, 95% CI: -1.00 to -0.03; p = 0.038)
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Vitamin D3→Reduced HOMA-IR
vitamin D2 showed a greater reduction in HOMA-IR compared to vitamin D3, though the effect was statistically significant (WMD = -0.51, 95% CI: -1.00 to -0.03; p = 0.038)
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small