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Bremen – A new study by the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS reveals that vitamin D combined with physical activity significantly enhances bone health in children and adolescents. Published in Nutrition Research, the findings highlight that adequate vitamin D levels, paired with at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily, improve bone stiffness, a key indicator of bone strength.
The study draws on data from the European IDEFICS/I.Family cohort, a long-term research initiative that has tracked dietary and physical activity habits among over 16,000 children aged 2 to 15 across eight European countries since 2007. For this analysis, researchers examined data from more than 2,500 participants, discovering that children who engaged in at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity and maintained sufficient vitamin D levels (20 ng/ml or higher) had significantly stronger bones, indicated by a higher bone stiffness index. “Our findings highlight the importance of regular physical activity and adequate vitamin D for bone health early in life,” says lead author Lan Cheng.
Interaction Between vitamin D and Physical Activity
The study indicates that the effect of vitamin D on bone stiffness depends on the amount of daily activity of the children. Children who met the recommendation of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day benefited significantly more from sufficient vitamin D levels. This group showed a 12% higher bone stiffness index compared to children who met the physical activity recommendations but had insufficient vitamin D levels.
“Our research indicates that physical activity enhances the positive effect of vitamin D on bones. It seems to be important that prevention programs promote both vitamin D intake and moderate to vigorous physical activity. Good dietary sources of vitamin D include oily fish and red meat, but most vitamin D is produced in the body through direct sunlight on the skin. To maintain good bone health, we recommend engaging in at least 60 min of daily physical activity that raises your heart rate and makes you breather faster, such as biking and running, while also spending time outdoors to maximize sunlight exposure”, emphasizes Dr. Antje Hebestreit, senior author of the study and head of the Behavior and Health research group at BIPS. She adds: “Having said that, it is critical to note that although the longitudinal design of the IDIFICS/I.Family cohort, this study was cross-sectional due to data availability. This limitation restricts our ability to draw strong casual inferences, allowing us only to show associations.”
Vitamin D and Overweight
In addition to the role of physical activity, the research team also found that the direction of association between vitamin D and a bone resorption biomarker varied by weight status, showing an inverse association in thin/normal weight children but a positive association in children living with overweight and obesity. This could be due to altered metabolic processes in children living with overweight or obesity.
“Accordingly, our previous research in the IDEFICS/I.Family cohort has shown that higher UV radiation, more time spent outdoors and a higher vitamin D intake were associated with a better vitamin D status”, says Dr. Maike Wolters, senior researcher at BIPS. Our data also revealed that a majority of children and adolescents did not reach sufficient vitamin D levels. It is particularly important to reduce the risk of vitamin D deficiency and insufficient physical activity to promote long-term bone health.
The BIPS - health research in the service of people
The population is at the center of our research. As an epidemiological research institute, we see it as our task to identify the causes of health disorders and develop new concepts for the prevention of diseases. Our research provides the basis for political decisions. It informs the population about health risks and contributes to a healthy living environment.
BIPS is a member of the Leibniz Association, which comprises 96 independent research institutes. The focus of the Leibniz Institutes ranges from the natural, engineering and environmental sciences to economics, spatial and social sciences and the humanities. Leibniz Institutes are dedicated to socially, economically and ecologically relevant issues. Due to their national importance, the federal and state governments jointly fund the institutes of the Leibniz Association. The Leibniz Institutes employ around 20,000 people, including 10,000 scientists.
PD Dr. Antje Hebestreit
Phone:
+49 (0)421 218-56-849
e-mail:
hebestr@leibniz-bips.de
Lan Cheng, Hermann Pohlabeln, Maike Wolters, Wolfgang Ahrens, Alfonso Siani, Toomas Veidebaum, Michael Tornaritis, Dénes Molnár, Gabriele Eiben, Monica Hunsberger, Stefaan De Henauw, Luis A Moreno, Antje Hebestreit. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity modulates the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and bone stiffness in European children and adolescents. Nutrition Research. 2024
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