• Daniel Mauss, Marc N Jarczok, Kristina Hoffmann, G Neil Thomas, and Joachim E Fischer.
• 1. Mannheim Institute of Public Health, Social and Preventive Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
• Int J Med Sci. 2015 Jan 1; 12 (5): 362368362-8.

ObjectivesIncreasing evidence suggests that vitamin D plays a role in the development of chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes (DM). Aim of the study was to explore the association of vitamin D levels with prevalent DM in a sample of predominantly healthy working adults older than 45 years.MethodsThis cross-sectional study (2009-2011) involved 1821 employees of a German engineering company (83.1% male, mean age 51.9 ±5.6 years). Sociodemographics and medical history were assessed by self-report. Clinical characteristics were obtained including blood samples to determine vitamin D levels and diabetes status by fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Vitamin D was grouped into one of four categories (<10 ng/ml, 10-19.9 ng/ml, 20-29.9 ng/ml, ≥30 ng/ml). Bivariate associations between vitamin D categories and a composite indicator for DM (FPG ≥126 mg/dl or HbA1c ≥6.5% or self-reported diagnosis) were calculated; multivariable models tested this association further, controlling for potential confounders.ResultsSevere vitamin D deficiency (<10 ng/ml) was associated with increasing FPG (β 3.13; 95% CI: 0.78, 5.47; p≤0.01) and HbA1c (β 0.15; 95% CI: 0.08, 0.23; p≤0.001) values in adjusted linear regression models. In multivariable models, severe vitamin D deficiency was associated with DM (OR 2.55; 95%CI 1.16, 5.62; p≤0.05) after controlling for potential confounders.ConclusionsVitamin D deficiency is associated with prevalent DM in working older adults. The findings highlight that the workplace may be a unique location for conducting large-scale health screening to identify those at risk of DM using vitamin D.

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