Why Vitamin D is a must for growing kids

Just like other vitamins, Vitamin D is a very important nutrient fro kids. It is essential in the absorption and usage of calcium and phosphorus within the body. Calcium and phosphorus helps maintain healthier growing bones in children. Kids nutrition and diet is the key in providing them with healthy growing bones.

Based on the findings of a study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, kids who consume lesser amounts of vitamin D might suffer metabolic bone disease. The findings of this study prove how important vitamin D is to the human body. In fact, kids lacking in vitamin D are prone to the development of weak, bone and imbalanced bones.

To verify the effects of vitamin D deficiency, 723 orthopedic patients participated in the study. Before they participated in the study, researchers made sure that these patients were already cleared of eclectic surgeries. These surgeries were made on ankles, hands, hips, knees, feet or the vertebra.

The result of the research is as follows: 57 percent of these individuals had ample level of the nutrient, 28 of them had low intake of vitamin D while 15 percent were found to have a vitamin D deficiency. Hence, two of every five patients were deprived of vitamin D. These results showed that the patients may have greater chances of getting afflicted with metabolic bone disease.

Joseph M. Lane, of the Hospital for Special Surgery has co-authored this study. As the co-author, Lane sees the study not as an end, but a beginning. He said, this study serves as “a wake-up call to orthopedists that vitamin D deficiency is widespread, [and] screening for it should be part of routine pre-surgical care.”

Furthermore, the research encourages people to increase their consumption of vitamin D enrich foods. Examples of these foods are fish, liver, eggyolk, broccoli, mushrooms milk and other dairy products. Other than foods, parents can also resort to food supplements that contain vitamin D.

Kids need healthy food options in schools and at home to head off this vitamin deficiencies.

source: freshhealthyvending