Scientists there found that a deficiency in vitamin D, sometimes called the sunshine vitamin, was linked to metabolic syndrome when they s
tudied more than 3,000 people in China ranging in age from 50 to 70.
"Vitamin D deficiency is becoming a condition that is causing a large burden of disease across the globe with particular deleterious impact among the elderly," said lead researcher Dr Oscar Franco.
The study noted that almost all of the participants were vitamin D deficient, and about 40 percent of them also suffered from metabolic syndrome, a condition where the body becomes resistant to insulin and one that is linked to risks for cardiovascular conditions.
More than a third of Americans have the syndrome, according to CDC statistics, and men over the age of 60 were four times more likely to be at risk than younger age groups while women over 60 were six times more likely to suffer from the condition.
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