Medpedia

Apparently, most infants in the US aren't getting enough vitamin D and should be given supplements, a new federal government report shows.

"Most infants, starting at birth, will need a vitamin D supplement," says lead researcher Cria G. Perrine, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epidemic Intelligence Service in the Office of Workforce and Career Development, and Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity.

Why is this?  Has there always been a vit D deficiency among infants, or has something changed in the last few decades?

Here's one of the many articles on this subject today:

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/637216.html

Something has changed since the industrial revolution.  Throughout most of human history, infants were outside getting sun exposure- because that's where their parents were, searching for food, working in the field.  Only in the modern era do babies spend most of their time sequestered from the sun.  The skin makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight- the only alternative is to get it from the diet.

An interesting tidbit from public health history: in the late 19th, early 20th century, rickets- a stunting condition due to vitamin D deficiency in childhood- was rampant, due to the migration of workers, including children, from farm to factory.  This was resolved by fortifying milk with vitamin D, standard practice ever since.

Hope this...shines a little light on the subject!

Best,

DK