Low serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D levels are associated with metabolic syndrome in a representative community population from Macau, China

Asians, especially Chinese have an increasingly high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency (serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D 25(OH)D < 30 nmol/L and < 50 nmol/L, respectively). This population group also has a high prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors such as Myocardial Infarction (MI), Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and low blood levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and high blood levels of triglycerides (TG). The aim of this analysis was to investigate these associations in a population from Macau, China. Blood, anthropometric, and physical data were collected from 1410 randomly selected residents of Macau. In this population, (55 % female, 19–89 years) 54 % were vitamin D insufficient. Results from categorical multivariate regression analyses (adjusted for age, sex, and physical activity, sitting and sunlight exposure) indicated significant two-fold associations between vitamin D insufficiency and prevalence of MI, MetS and low HDL and high TG levels. These associations became stronger when investigated with vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 30 nmol/L). The association between cardiometabolic factors and vitamin D deficiency in those older (≥60 yrs) increased markedly to OR MI= 9.48 (2.62–34.32), OR MetS= 7.82 (3.31–18.46) and OR low HDL= 8.68 (1.56–21.16) and OR high TG= 2.37 (1.07–5.25). These interesting observational findings suggest high vulnerability to lower 25(OH)D levels with related health disparities affecting older Asians. Integration of public health measures to detect vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in Macau is important, and we suggest that routine health screening including serum 25(OH)D, HDL and TG in China may be protective for those at higher risk for related cardiometabolic conditions.