Alarm Bells Over Vitamin D Levels in Kids

"Shocking" Study Finds 7 in 10 Deficient in It, Putting Them At Greater Risk Of Heart, Bone, Other Woes

(CBS)  Seven-in-ten kids in the United States have less vitamin D than they should, according to a new study described as "shocking" by its lead author.

CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton says low vitamin D levels mean those kids have a higher risk of developing heart, bone and other problems.

The study was conducted by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York. It appears in the journal Pediatrics.

Low vitamin D levels were found to be especially common among children who were older, female, African-American, Mexican-American, obese, drank milk less than once a week, or spent more than four hours a day watching TV, playing videogames, or using computers.

On "The Early Show" Monday, Ashton pointed out that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants, children, and teens get 400 IU (international units) a day. That's equal to four cups of milk or an amount you can easily get in one supplement.

"We expected the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency would be high, but the magnitude of the problem nationwide was shocking," says lead author Juhi Kumar, M.D., M.P.H., a fellow in pediatrics at Children's Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center, The University Hospital and Academic Medical Center for Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

She says diet, sunshine (without overexposure) and supplements are efficient means of raising Vitamin D levels.

The National Institutes of Health and American Dietetic Association say very few foods in nature contain Vitamin D. The flesh of fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel, and fish liver oils, are among the best sources. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Some mushrooms provide vitamin D2 in variable amounts.

BEST FOODS FOR VITAMIN D:

Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon 1,360 IU
Salmon, cooked, 3.5 ounces 360 IU
Mackerel, cooked, 3.5 ounces 345 IU
Tuna fish, canned in oil, 3 ounces 200 IU
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 1.75 ounces 250 IU
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup 98 IU
Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon 60 IU
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup (more heavily fortified cereals might provide more of the DV) 40 IU
Egg, 1 whole (vitamin D is found in yolk) 20 IU
Liver, beef, cooked, 3.5 ounces 15 IU
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce 12 IU

ASHTON DESCRIBED THREE VITAMIN D KID-FRIENDLY OPTIONS:

SALMON BURGER: a twist on a hamburger and easy to eat as a sandwich. One three-and-a-half ounce serving size of salmon and a glass of milk can give you enough Vitamin D to fulfill your daily recommended amount.

TUNA CASSEROLE is loaded with Vitamin D: The tuna is rich in vitamin D and it contains dairy, which has vitamin D and calcium; both are good for a child's bone development. It's also topped with Swiss cheese (a bonus of Vitamin D, which it contains naturally).

VITAMIN D SMOOTHIE: This could be great for a breakfast or snack - it has fortified orange juice, milk, yogurt - all of which can give your child a boost of Vitamin D at the beginning of their day.

WHAT ABOUT SUNSCREEN AND LOWER AMTS OF VITAMIN D: IS THERE A CONNECTION?

Kumar told CBS News it's "hard to say," noting "We didn't have data on sunscreen in our study, but we know that sunscreen levels have gone up and vitamin D has gone down. I'm sure they're related. For parents, they need to know their kid's skin: If they get red after 10 minutes, don't forgo sunscreen. But if they can withstand sun without getting burned or damaging their skin too much, let them play a little bit without the sunscreen, then apply it. The body was meant to get vitamin D from the sun.

The NIH says, "It has been suggested by some vitamin D researchers, for example, that approximately 5-30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen usually lead to sufficient vitamin D synthesis. Individuals with limited sun exposure need to include good sources of vitamin D in their diet or take a supplement. Despite the importance of the sun to vitamin D synthesis, it is prudent to limit exposure of skin to sunlight. UV radiation is a carcinogen responsible for most of the estimated 1.5 million skin cancers and the 8,000 deaths due to metastatic melanoma that occur annually in the United States.

WHAT SHOULD PARENTS KNOW ABOUT SUPPLEMENTS?

Most multivitamins are fortified with 400 IU of Vitamin D, Ashton says. Check the label to make sure the vitamin you choose is made with the D3 form (it may be listed as cholecalciferol). Kumar says, "We found very few kids were taking the vitamin D supplements. A multi-vitamin is fine to take it -- and may taste better too (because of the variety of flavors)."

[DrLampert]

While I agree that sun exposure is important for Vitamin D synthesis, protecting children (and people of all ages) from UV rays is critical. We recognize the need to protect our skin from the sun, yet few realize that our eyes are at risk, including the sensitive skin surrounding the eyes. Research shows that children?s eyes receive 3x the annual UV exposure as adults'. When encouraging children to spend time outdoors, we must ensure their eyes are protected with proper eyewear. Children should wear sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection, or if they require prescription eyeglasses, consider photochromic lenses, like Transitions.

[azomama]

I was not impressed with how the hostess ended the segment with "If you are exclusively breastfeeding your child, he/she is not getting enough Vitamin D." There was no preface that 'perhaps' or 'possibly'. You are sending the message that exclusive breastfeeding is not good, even though it is medically confirmed to be the best thing for infants and young children. Be careful what messages you are sending...maybe too much ad money from the milk companies????

[kenhamlett]

This is no surprise at all. Minimum Vitamin D levels were set at outrageous low levels long ago on the claim that it is supposed to be poisonous at outrageously high levels. Of course this does not make sense but in one brilliant act of greed the medical community found a way to make sure everyone was malnourished and susceptible to numerous maladies.
Internal functions, bone structure, and brain development are but a few of the effects of the big lie to limit vitamin D intake.
By the way when we mention brain development did you realize that could be one of the many causes of what is called Autism. There was no accident when doctors chose to ignore nutritional deficiencies as a major cause of illness. This is another example of the fraud of medical science.
Oh one other thing, this is not the only nutritional/environmental fallacy. Research on your own for what you need (it varies with each individual). It is the only way you might get the correct answers for you and your family.

[zonkzilla]

"Alarm bells"?
What's that?
Never heard one. Must be something from the 1800's.
Besides, how would they fit "alarm bells" in vitamin bottles?
Why that finding is "shocking", shocking I tell you I am totally shocked as if I grabbed hold of a 1000 volt power transmission line with no insulation. I mean SHOCKED!!!!!
Funny story, written by a dramatic screenplay wanna be.

[aperspective]

Tell the whole truth Dr. Ashton. The article misses the alarming point, and what?s worse gave advice on getting kids more sun. The alarm should be placed where it belongs, on the beverage companies. It is well known that phosphoric acid, a prevalent ingredient in Coke, Pepsi, and Dr, Pepper, robs the body?s metabolism of the ability to absorb calcium. Emergency Room doctors are aware that broken bone injuries are at all time records and many attribute this to the ?cola? diets of kid and young adults. People don?t need more sun, they need less cola.

[tmittelstaed]

The studies on this are only suggesting phosphoric acid is the problem. The studies also reveal that it's only WOMEN cola drinkers that are at risk of lower bone density. Men are not affected.

[tngreen]

What the article does not explain is that Vitamin D from food and supplements is not the same as the D that your body produces as a result of exposure to sunlight--and that naturally synthesized D is more available to the body. The upper latitudes are sometimes referred to as the multiple sclerosis belt because of the higher incident of this and other autoimmune disorders in zones with less annual sunlight.

There is no point blaming American children for having been born into a post-industrial society in a non-equatorial country. Many children do not go outside because their neighborhoods are dangerous. Many do not go outside because of the lure of electronic toys and computers. We need to think about ways to get children (and ourselves) outdoors more, and this may not always be easy, all sarcasm from the peanut gallery aside. Taking PE in the gym because it's too hot or too cold outside is not acceptable. Spending weekends at the mall or in front of the TV, not acceptable. Communities should work to ensure that there are safe opportunities for outdoor play for their children.

[erasmus111]

by Berkeley_Skirt_Lifter August 3, 2009 12:50 PM EDT
bunch of woosies - woosie woo woo.

It's wussy, btw


I liked your name better when I thought you were the skirt lifter. : )

[erasmus111]

Of course I didn't know what the skirt lifter was, then.

[erasmus111]

What do you mean? I didn't know you had left.

[erasmus111]

by DaVicar5 August 3, 2009 12:09 PM EDT
How could something shaped like Wilma Flintsone hurt you?


That's what it is! Too many Barneys for you!

[DaVicar5]

I always gave the Barneys to my gay brother.

[Benton09]

- sounds like an Ockseymoron to me
**************
Lack of enough Vitamin D can also cause moronic spelling in adults.
Too much VITTERmin R in this diet.

[credibility2]

Kids should go outside and play more, whether that's at school before, at recess (if even offered anymore) or after, or in their neighborhood. Kids are turning into a bunch of woosies, thanks to their over protective and absent parents.

[DaVicar5]

"over protective absent parents"


- sounds like an Ockseymoron to me

[erasmus111]

Make that just a MORON.

[SouthwestisBest]

What seems lacking here is details on how they collected their information. They say a study conducted at Yeshiva University in New York, so how does that represent children all over the US.

I assure you that Texas children get enough sunshine to get enough vitamind D in 15 minutes of outdoor playing, and in their food.

The only thing I find shocking about this study is it's lack of details about what kids they got their info from, and how they got it.

I don't shock much at anything put out by these think tanks anymore, and I don't need their studies. My doctor and I looked at my children's test results, monitored their diet, made sure they got some sunshine and some vitamin supplements as well.

Thanks, but your study means nothing to me. Me and the doc already figured all that out.

[DaVicar5]

"by SouthwestisBest "I assure you that Texas children get enough sunshine to get enough vitamind D in 15 minutes of outdoor playing, and in their food"


Do all children in Texas play in their food?

[democracy1]

NHAVES is a National Survey conducted by the CDC. Do your research.

[DaVicar5]

Kids are tough - they don't need no vitamins.

[erasmus111]

Is that what happened to you Davicar? No vitamins, no sun? : )

[mswolfestock]

Today's kids appear to need vitamins, because today's parents are clueless RE: feeding kids properly.

[erasmus111]

"A multi-vitamin is fine to take it -- and may taste better too (because of the variety of flavors)."


And this could be a problem also. I know a number of parents that were OVER DOSING their kids on vitamins. Because some of these vitamins are chewable fruity flavored, they figured they were like candy. They were letting them take 2 and three of them a day. A child should only be taking ONE a day, because the amounts of vitamin D, and vitamin A are TOXIC.

[DaVicar5]

How could something shaped like Wilma Flintsone hurt you?

[democracy1]

Get off the couch and go outside, even if just for half an hour a day!

[erasmus111]

Yes. In fact I think you only need 15 minutes of sun a day to get what you need.

[huangagain]

The thing that is not mentioned is that Vitamin D is the key to Restless Leg Syndrome also. While many doctors don't even believe there is such an illness, I suffered from it for so many years until I found out I had really low levels of Vitamin D. Once I started taking a supplement, I have never had even one incident of "restless leg" when I used to have it all the time.

[MPHgrad]

That is very interesting. A colleague was also advised to increase vitamin D intake (through sunlight) when she complained of depression.

[coopy67]

Well there you have it! Who could argue with anecdotal evidence like that?