Background: Although it is recognized that vitamin D deficiency is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, and is more common in African Americans (AAs), the pathologic mechanisms by which vitamin D may influence these risk factors are poorly understood.
Objectives: We explored the association between vitamin D status, as reflected by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations, and CVD risk factors including mean arterial pressure (MAP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), plasma HDL cholesterol, and waist circumference (WC) in adult AAs. We also tested whether plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), adipokines (adiponectin and leptin), and aldosterone mediated the associations between 25(OH)D and these risk factors.
Methods: Data on 4010 (63.8% women; mean age: 54.0 y) individuals from the Jackson Heart Study were analyzed. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the associations of 25(OH)D with CVD risk factors. We used path analysis and bootstrapping methods to quantify and test the share of these associations that was statistically explained by each of the mediators by decomposing the associations into direct and indirect effects.
Results: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were inversely associated with WC, FPG, and MAP and were positively associated with HDL cholesterol in multivariable analysis. A nearly 20% effect of 25(OH)D on MAP was masked by aldosterone (total indirect effect: β = 0.01, P < 0.05). Approximately 23% of the effect of 25(OH)D on WC (β = -0.03, P < 0.05) and ∼9% of the effect of 25(OH)D on FPG (β = -0.02, P < 0.05) were mediated through CRP, adiponectin, and leptin together. A 23% share of the association between 25(OH)D and HDL cholesterol was mediated by adiponectin alone (β = 0.03, P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the associations between vitamin D status and CVD risk factors in AAs are partially mediated through circulating adipokines and CRP. More evidence, however, is required from longitudinal and randomized controlled studies to validate our findings.
Background: Approximately 47% of adults in the United States have periodontal disease. Dietary guidelines recommend a diet providing adequate fiber. Healthier dietary habits, particularly an increased fiber intake, may contribute to periodontal disease prevention.
Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the relation of dietary fiber intake and its sources with periodontal disease in the US adult population (≥30 y of age).
Methods: Data from 6052 adults participating in NHANES 2009-2012 were used. Periodontal disease was defined (according to the CDC/American Academy of Periodontology) as severe, moderate, mild, and none. Intake was assessed by 24-h dietary recalls. The relation between periodontal disease and dietary fiber, whole-grain, and fruit and vegetable intakes were evaluated by using multivariate models, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and dentition status.
Results: In the multivariate logistic model, the lowest quartile of dietary fiber was associated with moderate-severe periodontitis (compared with mild-none) compared with the highest dietary fiber intake quartile (OR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.69). In the multivariate multinomial logistic model, intake in the lowest quartile of dietary fiber was associated with higher severity of periodontitis than dietary fiber intake in the highest quartile (OR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.62). In the adjusted logistic model, whole-grain intake was not associated with moderate-severe periodontitis. However, in the adjusted multinomial logistic model, adults consuming whole grains in the lowest quartile were more likely to have more severe periodontal disease than were adults consuming whole grains in the highest quartile (OR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.62). In fully adjusted logistic and multinomial logistic models, fruit and vegetable intake was not significantly associated with periodontitis.
Conclusions: We found an inverse relation between dietary fiber intake and periodontal disease among US adults ≥30 y old. Periodontal disease was associated with low whole-grain intake but not with low fruit and vegetable intake.