['Visceral fat area (VFA), a novel sex-specific index for visceral fat obesity (VFO) might play a major role in the development of vitamin D deficiency. However, the association between VFA and vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in Chinese population is less clear. The aim of this study was to explore the population-level association between VFA and vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency among Chinese men and women.', 'This cross-sectional study involved 1105 adults aged 20-70 years living in Tianjin who were randomly selected and medically examined. All subjects underwent the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method to estimate the VFA. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH) D3) level was assayed by the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method and defined insufficiency and deficiency following recommended cutoffs. The association between VFA and vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was estimated using binary regression analysis.', 'The total prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency (25(OH) D3: 20-29\xa0μg/L) and deficiency (25(OH) D3\u2009<\u200920\xa0μg/L) were 26.60 % and 24.89\xa0%, respectively. Significant negative association was observed for VFA with serum 25(OH) D3 levels in men and pre-menopausal women (P\u2009<\u20090.05), not in post-menopausal women (P\u2009>\u20090.05). Moreover, increased VFA was observed to be associated with higher vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency risk with a positive dose-response trend (P for trend\u2009<\u20090.001). As compared to individuals with the lowest VFA, those who had the highest VFA were at 4.9-fold risk of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency [95\xa0% confidence interval (95\xa0% CI): 1.792-13.365] in men and 1.8-fold risk of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency (95\xa0% CI: 1.051-3.210) in pre-menopausal women, but not in post-menopausal women [odds ratio (OR) (95\xa0% CI): 2.326(0.903-5.991)].'] Does higher visceral fat area increase the risk of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in Chinese adults?