ReviewFrontiers in epidemiology2026
Vitamin D and the metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease-type 2 diabetes axis: a scoping-narrative review of global evidence and emerging perspectives for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Review in Frontiers in epidemiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Abstract
Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are rapidly emerging as twin epidemics in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), driven by urbanization and nutritional transition. While global evidence links Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) to the progression of both disorders, data specific to African populations remains fragmented. This review explores the Vitamin D-MASLD-T2DM axis, contrasting global mechanistic insights with the unique genetic, environmental, and infectious disease landscape of SSA. Methods: A hybrid scoping-narrative review was conducted searching PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Embase for literature published up to 2025. The search targeted mechanistic studies, clinical trials, and regional epidemiological data. Out of 948 initial citations, 59 high-quality studies were prioritized for synthesis. The review integrates molecular evidence of Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) signaling with clinical outcomes and evaluates their applicability to the African context. Results: Mechanistic evidence indicates that Vitamin D exerts potent anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing effects via VDR activation, specifically by downregulating hepatic Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is a plausible, modifiable driver of the MASLD-T2DM axis in Sub-Saharan Africa, potentially filling the risk void left by the absence of major genetic drivers like
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