Seven out of 10 U.S. children have low levels of vitamin D, raising their risk of bone and heart disease, according to a study of more than 6,000 children by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.
The study, published today in the online version of Pediatrics, found 9 percent of the study sample, equivalent to 7.6 million children across the U.S., was vitamin D deficient, while another 61 percent, or 50.8 million, was vitamin D insufficient. Low vitamin D levels were especially common in children who were older, female, black, Hispanic, obese, drank milk less than once a week, or spent more than four hours a day watching TV, playing videogames or using computers.
The researchers also found that low levels of vitamin D deficiency were associated with higher parathyroid hormone levels, a marker of bone health, higher systolic blood pressure, and lower serum calcium and high-density lipoprotien (HDL) cholesterol levels, which are key risk factors for heart disease.
The researches recommend that pediatricians should routinely screen high-risk children for vitamin D deficiency, and that parents should ensure that their kids get adequate amounts of the vitamin through a combination of diet, supplements and exposure to sunlight.
Source:
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University: Millions Of U.S. Children Low In Vitamin D
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