December 9, 2008

Vitamin D Guidelines

Kids need more vitamin D than previously recommended says the nation’s leading pediatric group.

Children are not getting the needed amount of vitamin D to help prevent certain diseases that often occur later in life reports the American Academy of Pediatrics.  The Academy has recommended new guidelines, which double the amount of vitamin D children should take in says Sibyl Cox, registered dietitian at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.  She explains the reasons for the new recommendation.

SOUND BITE: “ . . . They have increased the recommendation due to the fact that getting adequate or additional vitamin D may actually prevent certain diseases.  But getting too little can lead to rickets in children and they have seen an increase. We will see in adults osteoporosis or osteomalacia that can be caused by too little vitamin D as well.”

Cox says the new guidelines recommend that children take in 400 International units of vitamin D daily which doubles the previous recommendation of 200 International units.  Cox explains the best sources of vitamin D.

SOUND BITE:  “ . . . There are three main ways you can get vitamin D.  You can get it from the sun because our body will convert sunlight and produce vitamin D.  You can get it from food and you can get it from supplements.  The sun is actually the best source of vitamin D, however, there are risk factors for sun exposure.

Cox says the best food sources of vitamin D mostly come from fortified dairy products, fish such as salmon, and other food products labeled as fortified.  Parents, who would like more information about the new vitamin D recommendations should check with their family physician or pediatrician or the American Academy of Pediatrics Web site, www.aap.org.

This is Ruth Slottag at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.