Overweight women with a low vitamin D intake may be more susceptible to endometrial cancer, according to findings published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

A form of cancer that causes damage to the lining of the uterus, endometrial cancer can develop and spread at a faster rate if a female patient is obese or overweight.

During a recent study, researchers from the Georgetown University Medical Center used mice that were genetically altered to be obese and at a greater risk of the disease. In order to determine if this nutrient would benefit the animals, one group was fed a vitamin D diet and another group a diet without the nutrient.

The results showed that those who consumed the vitamin D diet had a 25 percent lower risk of developing endometrial cancer, while the nutrient-free group was 67 percent more likely to suffer from the disease.

Leena Hilakivi-Clarke, lead author of the trial, stated that “vitamin D has been shown to be helpful in a number of cancers, but for endometrial cancer, our study suggests it protects only against cancer that develops due to obesity.” She added that “still, if these results are confirmed in women, use of vitamin D may be a wonderfully simple way to reduce endometrial cancer risk.”

Vitamin D intake may prevent osteoporosis and other bone-related problems.