Vitamin D and Exercise Tied to Fewer Stacked Heart Risks
Graded Preliminary — a one-time survey of 1,668 older adults; because everything was measured at once, it cannot show which factor comes first.
- Design
- Cross-sectional study
- Participants
- 1,668
- Duration
- —
- Funding
- —
Older adults with more vitamin D in their blood and enough aerobic activity less often had several heart and metabolic risks at once.
Older adults in South Korea with more vitamin D in their blood less often had several heart and metabolic risk factors at once. The same was true for those who met the guideline for aerobic activity. People with both were the least likely to have this cluster of risks.
The data came from a national health survey in 2023. It covered 1,668 people aged 65 or older who lived at home. Having at least three of five such risk factors counted as a cluster, which applied to just over a third. Compared with people below 20 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood who did not meet the activity guideline, those at 20 or more who did meet it had the cluster less often. The analysis accounted for social background, smoking, alcohol, place of residence and body weight.
Vitamin D and activity were each linked to the result on their own. The researchers found no sign that the two boost each other. The key limit: everything was measured at a single point in time. So the study cannot say whether more vitamin D or more activity actually lowers these risks. No vitamin D supplement was tested.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.