Scientists identify teen vitamin D deficiency
By Better Health Research News Desk • Mar 11th, 2009 • Category: General Health, Health News, Health Resources News
As an increasingly large body of research points to the benefits of vitamin D, health experts are suggesting some U.S. teenagers are not getting enough of the sunshine vitamin.
A group of scientists meeting at the Workshop Consensus for Vitamin D Nutritional Guidelines are suggesting the minimum acceptable level be increased to 20 ng/mL from 11 ng/mL.
Using these new standards as a guideline, they found that as many as one in seven American adolescents are deficient in vitamin D. More than half of African-American young people fall into this category, with girls and overweight teens especially at risk.
Dr. Sandy Saintonge of Weill Cornell Medical College suggested vitamin D nutritional supplements and increased education about food-based sources may be two ways to address this deficiency.
"We need to do a better job of educating the public on the importance of vitamin D," she said. "We should also consider a national fortification strategy, perhaps including routine supplementation."
Fish – including salmon, tuna and mackerel – is considered to be the best food source, while small amounts can also be found in eggs, cheese and fortified milk. 
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