A new study has examined that people who have low levels of vitamin D are more likely to have diabetes, regardless of how much they weigh.

The study conducted by the Endocrine Society found that people who have low levels of vitamin D are more likely to be obese and they also are more likely to have Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and metabolic syndrome than people with normal vitamin D levels.

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and maintain bone and muscle health. The skin naturally produces this vitamin after exposure to sunlight. People also absorb smaller amounts of the vitamin through foods, such as milk fortified with vitamin D. More than 1 billion people worldwide are estimated to have deficient levels of vitamin D due to limited sunshine exposure.