A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Vitamin D Status of Patients with Severe Obesity in Various Regions Worldwide

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#humans #obesity-morbid #calcium #magnesium #vitamin-d

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Vitamin D Status of Patients with Severe Obesity in Various Regions Worldwide

Haghighat et al., 2023 | Obes Facts | Meta Analysis

Citation

Haghighat Neda, Sohrabi Zahra, ... Foroutan Hamidreza. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Vitamin D Status of Patients with Severe Obesity in Various Regions Worldwide. Obes Facts. 2023;16(6):519-539. doi:10.1159/000533828

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Managing nutritional deficiencies is an essential component in the treatment of severe obesity. Vitamin D deficiency is often reported in investigations in severely obese cohorts. However, no prior study has summarized findings on this topic. Consequently, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] status in individuals with severe obesity in different regions worldwide. We also evaluated levels of calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and magnesium as secondary outcome measures. METHODS: We searched Medline, PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE for relevant observational studies published in English from 2009 to October 2021. The heterogeneity index among the studies was determined using the Cochran (Q) and I2 tests. Based on the heterogeneity results, the random-effect model was applied to estimate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. RESULTS: We identified 109 eligible observational studies. Overall, 59.44% of patients had vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D <20 ng/mL], whereas 26.95% had vitamin D insufficiency [25(OH)D 20-30 ng/mL]. Moreover, the mean 25(OH)D level was 18.65 ng/mL in 96 studies. The pooled mean estimate of the serum calcium, PTH, and magnesium was 9.26 mg/dL (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.19-9.32, I2 = 99.7%, p < 0.001), 59.24 pg/mL (95% CI: 54.98, 63.51, I2 = 99.7%, p < 0.001), and 0.91 mg/dL (95% CI: 0.84, 0.98, I2 = 100.0%, p < 0.001), respectively. The results of the subgroup analysis indicated that the mean estimates of 25(OH)D were highest in North America (21.71 ng/mL [19.69, 23.74], [I2 = 97.2%, p < 0.001]) and lowest in Southeast Asia (14.93 ng/mL [14.54, 15.33], [I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.778]). CONCLUSION: The results obtained showed a significant prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among severely obese individuals in various geographical regions, whereas the highest and lowest mean estimates were reported for North America and Southeast Asia, respectively.

Key Findings

We identified 109 eligible observational studies. Overall, 59.44% of patients had vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D <20 ng/mL], whereas 26.95% had vitamin D insufficiency [25(OH)D 20-30 ng/mL]. Moreover, the mean 25(OH)D level was 18.65 ng/mL in 96 studies. The pooled mean estimate of the serum calcium, PTH, and magnesium was 9.26 mg/dL (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.19-9.32, I2 = 99.7%, p < 0.001), 59.24 pg/mL (95% CI: 54.98, 63.51, I2 = 99.7%, p < 0.001), and 0.91 mg/dL (95% CI: 0.84, 0

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population severe obesity in different
Sample Size 96
Age Range See abstract
Condition deficiency

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Obesity, Morbid
  • Calcium
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin D Deficiency
  • Obesity
  • Parathyroid Hormone

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Meta-Analysis, Systematic Review, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Vertical: vitamin-d

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09