Multivitamins are important for people suffering from obesity. A 2002 report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization states that obesity often masks underlying deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. It further states that people who are overweight often eat larger quantities of cheap foods that lack micronutrients, leaving them malnourished. With the approval of a doctor or health care provider, multivitamins can provide the additional nutrients to offset this malnutrition in people who are obese.
Vitamin D
Obese people are more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is trapped in fat cells so when a person has excess fat cells, the vitamin becomes trapped and cannot be easily released into circulation. Vitamin D is necessary to maintain healthy bones and assists in calcium absorption. Being deficient in this vitamin can lead to thin, brittle bones, a condition known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
Other Fat Soluble Vitamins
Like vitamin D, vitamins A, E and K are fat-soluble and are stored in body fat, making them less available in people who are obese. Vitamin A is essential for good vision, skin, bone and immune health. Vitamin E has antioxidant qualities that protect the body’s cells from oxidative damage. Vitamin K is vital for blood clotting and also promotes bone and arterial health.
Iron
Iron deficiency is also more prevalent in both obese children and adults. Findings published in the 2009 Nutrition Review suggest that having a higher body fat content and the inflammation that is associated with being overweight diminishes the body’s ability to absorb iron properly. Iron is a mineral that carries oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. Iron deficiency can cause anemia. Symptoms include excess fatigue and poor mental and memory function.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids / Fish Oil
Some multi-vitamins targeted at people who are overweight or obese may feature omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil. According to the National Institutes of Health, fish oil can lower high triglycerides linked to heart disease and diabetes. People who are obese are more at risk of developing both diseases. The government organization also notes that eating fish oil can improve weight loss and decrease blood sugar in overweight people. It suggests taking supplementing with 3.65 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day.
References
- U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization: The Developing World’s New Burden: Obesity
- National Institutes of Health: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin
- University of Hawaii at Manoa: Star Advertiser; Overweight People Need Fat-Soluble… ; Joannie Dobbs, et al. July 6, 2010
- Nutritional Revue: Iron Deficiency and Obesity; JP McClung, et al. Feb, 2009
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Iron and Iron Deficiency
- Medline Plus: Fish Oil
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