Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Obesity prevalance is rapidly increasing all over the world and become a serious health problem. There is a significant correlation between serum calcium levels and body fat mass. It was indicated that when plasma calcium levels increase, BMI decrease however, insulin, total cholesterol, and triglycerides levels increase. In this study, it was investigated the relationship between plasma calcium levels and cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome parameters in Turkish overweight and obese female patients.

Materials and methods: 4749 overweight and obese women were evaluated retrospectively. 872 overweight (BMI 25–30 kg/m²) and 3877 obese (BMI >30 kg/m²) patients who applied to Obesity Outpatient Clinic, Departmant of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University were evaluated, anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured. Patients were divided three category according to plasma calcium levels. Groups were compared with one-way ANOVA. P<0.05 was accepted as significant.

Results: There were no significant correlation between serum calcium levels and body weight, body fat mass, and fat distirbution. Plasma calcium levels significantly associated with cardiovascular risk parameters. In addition, metabolic syndrome indicators and risk parameters were also significantly correlated except high waist circumference.

Discussion: Our findings indicate that high serum calcium levels associated with obesity-related complication parameters. High-risk situation may occur when serum calcium levels high. Elevated calcium levels reflect a metabolic risky situation. It should be cautious to prevent complications while using high-content calcium diets for obese patients treatment.

Keywords: Obesity, serum calcium levels, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular risk factors.