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Paediatricians say double vitamin D dose

Reuters, Chicago
The American Academy of Pediatrics has doubled its recommendation for a daily dose of vitamin D in children in the hopes of preventing rickets and reapingother health benefits, the group expressed recently.
"We are doubling the recommended amount of vitamin D children need each day because evidence has shown this could have life-long health benefits," said Dr Frank Greer, of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which released the new guideline recommendations at a recent meeting in Boston.
"Supplementation is important because most children will not get enough vitamin D through diet alone," Greer said in a statement.
The new guidelines from the nation's leading group of pediatricians now call for children to
receive 400 international units of vitamin D per day, beginning in the first few days of life.
Children who do not get enough vitamin D are at risk for rickets, a bone-softening disease that result in stunted growth and bone deformities if not corrected while the child is young. Babies who are exclusively breast-fed are at particular risk.
"Breast-feeding is the best source of nutrition for infants. However, because of vitamin D deficiencies in the maternal diet, which affect the vitamin D in a mother's milk, it is important that breast-fed infants receive supplements of vitamin D," Dr Carol Wagner of the physician s group, who helped write the report, said in that statement.
Vitamin D can prevent and treat rickets, but dietary sources of vitamin D are fairly limited. Vitamin D-fortifled milk is the most common source, but forti-
lied cereals and fish liver oils, oily fishes such as tuna contain much vitamin D. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks.
Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, but exposure to sun light can also raise the risk of skin cancer. Air pollution, sunscreen and clothing all limit the amount of vitamin D the body can synthesise from sunlight.
The group suggests non breast-fed infants and older children who are drinking less than one quart (liter) of vitamin D-forlified formula or milk daily should receive a vitamin D sup plement.
Adequate vitamin D through out childhood may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. In adults, new evidence suggests that vitamin D plays a role in the immune system and may help prevent infections, autoimmune diseases, cancer and diabetes.