Vitamin D, Insulin Sensitivity, and Vascular Associations in Adolescents (DIVA)

The overall objectives of this study are to examine the relationships between circulating vitamin D, insulin sensitivity, and multiple indices of vascular function and to examine whether vitamin D deficiency in AA is responsible for ethnic differences in insulin sensitivity and hypertension in AA and EA, as well as mechanisms underlying the association between insulin resistance and blood pressure. We hypothesize that 1) serum 25(OH)D is associated with insulin sensitivity and vascular functioning, independent of adiposity, 2) lower insulin sensitivity and vascular functioning in AA relative to EA is due to lower circulating 25(OH)D in AA, and 3) the relationship between insulin resistance and vascular dysfunction is mediated by 25(OH)D.

Acronyms: African American (AA), European American (EA), Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25()H)D, Body mass index (BMI), Alabama (AL).