Effect of vitamin D on body mass index in football athletes

Background and Study Aim. Vitamin D deficiency is a critical issue for athletes, and the major cause of Vitamin D deficiency is the involvement of athletes in indoor sports activities. Indoor training of athletes has similar risk factors for vitamin D deficiency as compared to the rest of the population. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the influence of Vitamin D on BMI among football athletes in Pakistan. Material and Methods. Twelve football athletes (n=6 Experimental Group, n=6 Control Group) from Mian Kalay were recruited through a convenient sample with the average age of the participants being 19.08 ± 2.35 years. Weight, height, and body mass index were measured using a standard stadiometer (ZT-120, China) and analyzed using SPSS version 26. The Experimental Group was kept in games with sunlight exposure for a period of 120 days while the Control Group was restricted. Blood samples were collected by an Agha Khan Lab expert using a 3cc syringe, then transferred into a 3cc gel tube, and 1ml of serum was obtained after centrifugation from all participants. Results. The Experimental Group showed significant increases in Vitamin D levels (17.58 vs 43.36, p-value 0.003) and decreases in weight (p=0.001) and BMI (24.00 vs 22.32, p-value <0.001). Meanwhile, the Control Group experienced decreases in Vitamin D levels (20.85 vs 10.86, p-value 0.036) and increases in weight (p<0.001) and BMI (21.11 vs 21.60, p-value 0.023) due to restriction from sunlight. Conclusions. Training in sunlight significantly increased the Vitamin D levels of athletes and decreased their weight and BMI. Moreover, indoor sports activities significantly decreased Vitamin D levels and increased the weight and BMI levels of athletes.