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Rickets Are On the Rise
My sister sent me an article about rickets. Apparently, the incidence of rickets is on the rise here and in the UK.
Rickets is a softening of bones in children due to deficiency or impaired metabolism of vitamin D, phosphorus or calcium, potentially leading to fractures and deformity. Rickets is among the most frequent childhood diseases in many developing countries.
In the US, experts seem to believe that the increase might be due to more women breast feeding. Apparently, breast milk contains no vitamin D. Children that are darker skinned and breast fed are apparently at the highest risk for developing rickets. The darker skin makes it more difficult for a child to absorb the sun’s rays. I suppose our increased use of sun screen and propensity for more indoor activity can also be a contributing factor.
In the UK there are some that are suggesting that traditional Muslim dress, a more vegetarian diet and prolonged breast feeding could be the reason that they are seeing a rise in the incidence of rickets.
Apparently supplementing breast feeding with vitamin D and calcium will prevent a lot of the problem as will increased sun exposure. But of course, not too much sun exposure, no one want skin cancer.
I found this interesting, so I thought I would post about it.
http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/93/5/1743.full
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2740674/
http://www.childrensmercy.org/healthykidscolumns/view.aspx?id=188
http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=485984
Rickets is a softening of bones in children due to deficiency or impaired metabolism of vitamin D, phosphorus or calcium, potentially leading to fractures and deformity. Rickets is among the most frequent childhood diseases in many developing countries.
In the US, experts seem to believe that the increase might be due to more women breast feeding. Apparently, breast milk contains no vitamin D. Children that are darker skinned and breast fed are apparently at the highest risk for developing rickets. The darker skin makes it more difficult for a child to absorb the sun’s rays. I suppose our increased use of sun screen and propensity for more indoor activity can also be a contributing factor.
In the UK there are some that are suggesting that traditional Muslim dress, a more vegetarian diet and prolonged breast feeding could be the reason that they are seeing a rise in the incidence of rickets.
Apparently supplementing breast feeding with vitamin D and calcium will prevent a lot of the problem as will increased sun exposure. But of course, not too much sun exposure, no one want skin cancer.
I found this interesting, so I thought I would post about it.
http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/93/5/1743.full
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2740674/
http://www.childrensmercy.org/healthykidscolumns/view.aspx?id=188
http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=485984
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