Kids aren’t getting enough vitamin D
When I was a kid, moms knew what to say on a sunny summer afternoon: “It’s a beautiful day! Go play outside!”
Twenty-first century moms know what to say too: “It’s a beautiful day. Go outside and play. But first get your hat and cover yourself in SPF 50 sunblock!”
There’s a whole generation (maybe two generations?) of kids who have learned to fear the sun. But of course, sunlight isn’t a problem. Excessive exposure is the problem.
And then there’s the obvious flipside to excess: Too little can be as bad as too much.
Blood samples taken from nearly 5,000 kids, ages 1 to 11, across a wide range of demographics and locations, show that U.S. kids are vitamin D deficient. Not a surprise, given the way parents “protect” them from the sun.
Unfortunately, most kids don’t get a regular intake of the type of fish that contain vitamin D (since frozen fishsticks are not your best source!). That’s why lead researcher, Jonathon Mansbach, M.D., of Children’s Hospital Boston recommends that all children take vitamin D3 supplements.
And if you decide to go the fish oil route, look for one designed especially for children…so you don’t end up wearing a face-full of it.
Source:
“Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels Among US Children Aged 1 to 11 Years: Do Children Need More Vitamin D?” Pediatrics, Vol. 124, No. 5, November 2009, pediatrics.aappublications.org
