Recenty the US government has considered increasing the recommended daily intake of Vitamin D. Current recommendations are 400 IU per day, but this amount may be too low because many individuals are deficient in the fat soluble vitamin. A recent study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood found that more than 70 percent of girls age 14-16 had lower than normal levels of Vitamin D.
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is involved in bone metabolism. The greatest source of Vitamin D is from the skin after being exposed to UV light from the sun. The other greatest source of Vitamin D is food.
Poor or inadequate intake of Vitamin D can result in a condition known as Rickett's, or soft bones. Though in this study all the girls were relatively healthy, without any bone related complaints.
The concern over inadequate intake and overt Vitamin D deficiency is the risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture in older age. As we age our bones build mineral density until the age of about 35 when it starts to decline . But with inadequate intake the bone mineral density may not increase to normal levels, which would increase the risk of osteoporosis.
The authors point to several reasons that Vitamin D may be low including decreased sun exposure, religious restrictions on skin coverings, and lack of outdoor activities. At any rate children should be encouraged to play outside and get adequate exposure to sunlight, especially in winter months when the sun is not as abundant. The children used in this study lived in the UK, and northern latitudes are known to be a risk factor for decreased Vitamin D.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on August 9, 2006 02:40 PM
