Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms in Children

Multiple Vitamin D Food Sources Prevent Degenerative Bone Disease

Nov 3, 2009

Millions of children are not getting adequate vitamin D food sources. Dietary changes combined with supplementation can prevent a degenerative bone disease.

Most children in the U.S. are not getting enough vitamin D, according to research from Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine. This puts them at risk for a degenerative bone disease known as rickets, as well as other health problems. Researchers uncovered this trend after evaluating data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

They specifically wanted to discover the prevalence of childhood vitamin D deficiency. Symptoms of this condition include soft and weak bones and sore muscles. They measured the vitamin D levels in the blood of 6000 children between the ages of 12 months and 21 years. They found that more than half of the participants had insufficient levels, and nearly 10 percent were vitamin D deficient.

Vitamin D Sources

As a result of the study, researchers are suggesting that parents include multiple vitamin D sources in their children's diets to insure they are receiving an adequate amount of the vitamin. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends giving children a vitamin D supplement daily that contains 400 international units ( IU). Breastfeeding mothers are also encouraged to provide supplementation to their infants because breast milk does not contain sufficient vitamin D.

Sunlight is another vitamin D source that can help prevent deficiencies, according to WebM.D. The body absorbs UV rays from the sun and then transforms it into vitamin D. The National Institutes of Health recommends spending 15 minutes out in the sun about three times a week to allow the body to produce a sufficient amount of vitamin D.

Web M.D. points out that African American, Hispanic, and other children with darker skin will need to stay outside much longer because it will take their skin longer to absorb enough UV rays to produce an adequate amount of vitamin D. Children should always put on sunscreen before going outside to reduce their risk for skin cancer.

Vitamin D Foods

According to the National Institutes of Health, fish such as tuna, mackerel, and salmon are all good vitamin D sources. Most foods do not naturally contain adequate amounts of vitamin D and the vitamin is added during a fortification process. Fortified vitamin D foods include milk, yogurt, certain cereals, and juices.

Researchers from Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine stress that it's very important for children to have more than one vitamin D source. Eating vitamin D foods is a step in the right direction towards preventing a degenerative bone disease such as rickets. However, researchers say diet alone is not enough to prevent vitamin deficiency. It takes a combination of diet, physical activity, and the recommended daily dosage of vitamin D supplements.

Maintaining strong bones is important for people of all ages. The article Improve Bone Density explains how to increase bone mass and replace lost bone naturally.

The copyright of the article Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms in Children in Nutrition is owned by Jennifer Graham. Permission to republish Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms in Children in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.