70 Per Cent of American Children Are Low in Vitamin D

Recent research highlights that 7 out of 10 American children have low levels of vitamin D, placing them at greater risk of high blood pressure, bone disease, as well as other risk factors for heart disease .
Dr Michal L. Melamed, assistant professor of medicine, epidemiology and population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University, New York, led this study and it was published in the 3 August online issue of Paediatrics .
Dr Melamed asserts that no other study has hitherto studied lack of vitamin D on a national scale.
He and his team analysed data relating to approximately 6,000 children aged between 1 and 21. The data was from the 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and is deemed unique because it combines interviews and physical examinations and represents the American population as a whole.
They discovered that 9 per cent of those surveyed were deficient in vitamin D, with a further 61 per cent having insufficient vitamin D. Deficieny in vitamin D was qualified as having fewer than 15 nanograms of vitamin D per millilitre (ng/mL) of blood, with insufficiency being defined as having between 15 and 28 ng/mL.
With regard to demographics and behaviour, low levels of vitamin D were more frequent in children who were: female, older, obese, African-American, Mexican-American, consumed milk less than once a week, or four hours plus a day playing video games, on the computer or watching TV.
Health wise, vitamin D deficiency was linked to poor bone health, higher systolic blood pressure, lower levels of calcium and lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol . The last three factors signify key risks for heart disease.
Dr Juhi Kumar, a fellow in paediatrics and a co-author of the report stated that they anticipated that they would find a high prevalence of vitamin D. However, the size of the nationwide shocked even the researchers.
The authors recommend routine screening of children at high risk of vitamin D deficiency. They also advice that parents ought to ensure that their children obtain enough vitamin D through a sensible combination of diet, supplements as well as exposure to sunlight.
Dr Melamel stated that it is crucial to turn that tv off and make sure that your kids get outside.
He added that just 15 to 20 minutes of being in the open air on a daily basis is enough. It is essential for the child to get this burst of sunlight safely as that is how long it takes for the effect of any sunscreen to work off.