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CC BY 4.0 · Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1809314
Original Article

The Impact of Vitamin D Status on Glycemic Control in Saudi Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Najwa A. Adam
1   Clinical Nutrition Department, Ministry of National Guard, Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
,
Naila Felimban
2   Department of Endocrinology, Jeddah National Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
,
Mohamed A. Eltom
3   Mulazmin Diabetes and Endocrine Centre, Ahfad University for Women, Khartoum, Sudan
,
Nadir Khir
4   Department of Internal Medicine, Alhabib Hospital, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
,
Nagat E. Eltoum
5   Department of Clinical Nutrition, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
,
Aziza Hashmi
1   Clinical Nutrition Department, Ministry of National Guard, Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
,
Dawla A. Adam
6   Department of Home Economics, Al-Baha, University, Saudi Arabia
,
Anwar Borai
7   King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdelaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard, Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
› Author Affiliations Funding and Sponsorship None.
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Abstract

Objectives

This study aims to assess the 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH VitD) status in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and to identify the correlation between 25-OH VitD levels and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The study included 146 eligible patients. Serum 25-OH VitD < 50 nmol/L indicated below normal vitamin D level.

Results

All participants were Saudis, 63.0% were children, and 37.0% were adolescents (52.7% were male and 47.3% were female). The mean of HbA1c levels was 9.85 ± 1.79% and 25-OH VitD levels was 35.54 ± 13.88 nmol/L. The prevalence of 25-OH VitD inadequacy was 84.2%, with a mean 25-OH VitD levels of 31.22 ± 9.82 nmol/L. There was no significant correlation between 25-OH VitD levels and HbA1c levels (p = 0.14). On the other hand, the correlation was significantly negative between 25-OH VitD levels and daily insulin dose (p < 0.001), diabetes duration (p < 0.001), age (p < 0.001), and body mass index (p = 0.001), while it was significantly positive with dairy products intake per mL per day (p < 0.001). Furthermore, multiple regression analysis demonstrated that age, daily insulin dose, and gender were the factors that were associated adversely and significantly with 25-OH VitD levels (p = 0.001, p = 0.008, p = 0.002), respectively.

Conclusion

Although vitamin D levels did not correlate significantly with HbA1c levels in this study, the findings of a significant inverse correlation of vitamin D levels with insulin requirements, in addition to a high prevalence of vitamin D levels inadequacy in children and adolescents with T1DM, indicate the importance of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels in this population.

Keywords

type 1 diabetes - vitamin D status - HbA1c - correlation - glycemic control - children - adolescents

Authors' Contributions

N.A. contributed to the study design, data collection, data analysis, and manuscript writing and submission. M.E. and N.F. contributed to the study design revision, data collection, and data review. N.K. and A.B. contributed to the data review and the manuscript drafting. N.E. contributed to data analysis and manuscript drafting. A.H. and D.A. contributed to the questionnaire design and the literature searches. All authors reviewed and approved the manuscript.


Compliance with Ethical Principles

The study proposal was approved (IRB# C/098/11) by the International Medical Research Centre board, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A written informed content was optioned from all participant's guardians.




Publication History

Article published online:
23 May 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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