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Article: An epidemic of vitamin D deficiency. (Enough Isn't Enough).(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- June 22, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Many U.S. women of childbearing age, particularly those of African descent, lack sufficient vitamin D even though they consume the recommended amount, a new study suggests. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can be subtle among adults, but infants born to these women could be marked for major health problems.
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for proper bone growth, and children who get too little can develop tickets, a skeletal disease. A newborn's quotient of the vitamin is largely determined by the concentration in the mother's blood.
Recent research has identified rickets, once nearly conquered in the United Sates, as a reemerging problem among ...