How many kids in America have a lack of Vitamin D in their diet?
According to a new study, over 6 million American children may not be getting enough vitamin D – a nutrient which is known to maintain healthy calcium levels, enhance immunity and prevent osteoporosis. The study, published in the November issue of Pediatrics, focused on about 5,000 children under the age of 12, HealthDay News reports. While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children reach at least 50 nanomoles of vitamin D per liter of blood, researchers found that 6.3 million kids – almost 1 in 5 – were deficient at these levels. “Given the preponderance of and the safety profile of vitamin D, we believe many U.S. children would likely benefit from more” of the nutrient, said lead researcher Dr Jonathan Mansbach. While the scientists say exposure to sunlight is the best method for obtaining vitamin D, they recommend supplements for people living in areas in which sunlight is scarce during the winter. The U.S. National Library of Medicine reports that the 25-hydroxy vi
A whopping 70 percent of American kids aren’t getting enough vitamin D, and such youngsters tend to have higher blood pressure and lower levels of good cholesterol than their peers, according to two new studies published this week in the journal Pediatrics. Low vitamin D levels also may increase a child’s risk of developing heart disease later in life, experts say. “We were astounded at how common it was,” says study author Dr. Michal Melamed, an assistant professor of medicine, epidemiology, and population health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in the Bronx, New York. “There is a lot of data that suggests adults with low vitamin-D levels are at risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and a lot of cancers, and if kids start out with low levels and never increase them, they may be putting themselves at risk for developing all of these diseases at a much earlier age.” Vitamin D is often called the “sunshine vitamin” because the human body makes it only
While the optimal amount of vitamin D is still subject to debate, a new study finds one thing is sure: over 6 million American children are getting too little of this essential nutrient. “There are a lot of studies demonstrating associations between low levels of vitamin D and a laundry list of poor health outcomes,” noted lead researcher Dr. Jonathan Mansbach, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital Boston. “Given the preponderance of data and the safety profile of vitamin D, we believe many U.S. children would likely benefit from more vitamin D,” he said. Sources: http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/docs/632306.
