The Correlation of Serum Calcium Level and Obesity; Is There Any Explanation?

Abstract

Background: Obesity is caused by several factors while sedentary lifestyle and excessive energy intake are the most important ones. Obesity could be due to abnormal calcium metabolism, and a high calcium intake may prevent obesity. Studying serum calcium level, albumin, and triglyceride concentrations, we searched for probable correlation between serum calcium level and anthropometric data of the participants.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in 2011 in Shiraz Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center on 468 participants. Anthropometrics and serum levels of calcium, albumin, and triglyceride levels were measured, recorded, and analyzed by SPSS statistical software.

Results: 329 participants were female (70.3%) and the remaining were male (29.7%) with mean age of 46.08 ±15.22 years old. Corrected plasma concentration of calcium based on albumin level had a significant relation with weight, BMI, and triglyceride levels.

Conclusion: It is assumed that obesity induces the production of inflammatory cytokines which stimulates bone absorption by osteoclasts that might subsequently lead to a higher serum calcium level in obese people who have a high level of triglyceride at the same time.