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Even though sunlight is viewed as the most important determinant of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status, several European studies have observed higher 25(OH)D concentrations among north-Europeans than south-Europeans. We studied the association between geographical latitude (derived from ecological data) and 25(OH)D status in six European countries using harmonised immunoassay data from 81 084 participants in the Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Europe (BiomarCaRE) project (male sex 48·9 %; median age 50·8 years; examination period 1984–2014). Quantile regression models, adjusted for age, sex, decade and calendar week of sampling and time from sampling to analysis, were used for between-country comparisons. Up until the median percentile, the ordering of countries by 25(OH)D status (from highest to lowest) was as follows: Sweden (at 65·6–63·8°N), Germany (at 48·4°N), Finland (at 65·0–60·2°N), Italy (at 45·6–41·5°N), Scotland (at 58·2–55·1°N) and Spain (at 41·5°N). From the 75th percentile and upwards, Finland had higher values than Germany. As an example, using the Swedish cohort as a comparator, the median 25(OH)D concentration was 3·03, 3·28, 5·41, 6·54 and 9·28 ng/ml lower in the German, Finnish, Italian, Scottish and Spanish cohort, respectively (P -value < 0·001 for all comparisons). The ordering of countries was highly consistent in subgroup analyses by sex, age, and decade and season of sampling. In conclusion, we confirmed the previous observation of a north-to-south gradient of 25(OH)D status in Europe, with higher percentile values among north-Europeans than south-Europeans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To describe longitudinal relationships of metabolic syndrome (MetS) to cognitive decline and functional disability in a sample of older non-institutionalized men. Methods data from 1991 to 2000 of the Italian cohorts of the Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Elderly (FINE) study, were used. Global cognitive function and functional disability, defined as limitations in mobility, basic (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) were screened in 1991 and 2000. MetS was defined according to the NCEP ATP-III criteria. Results The study sample consisted of 195 men, baseline age 76.1 ± 3.1 years. Baseline MetS was prospectively associated with greater 10-year cognitive and functional decline in ADLs and IADLs. After multiple adjustment including age, education, marital status, ApoE ε4 allele, cerebrovascular disease and initial cognitive and depressive status, MetS predicted cognitive decline (B = −1.684, 95%CI = −2.202 to −1.167, p < 0.001) and risk of IADLs (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.01–1.20, p = 0.048) and ADLs disability (OR = 1.35, 95%CI = 1.12–1.62, p < 0.001). Interestingly, such associations were not attributable to individual altered components of MetS nor to their sum. Incident disability in ADLs and IADLs were not explained by parallel decline in cognitive function. Conclusions MetS as an entity was associated with accelerated cognitive and functional decline in a population-based sample of very old men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]