The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines for Vitamin D intake in infants, children and adolescents yesterday. The new recommendation of 400 IUs daily is twice that of the previous recommendation. The increased requirements are due to a recent rise in pediatric illnesses related to Vitamin D deficiency, such as rickets.
Dr. Frank R. Greer, a pediatrician at the University of Wisconsin and contributor to the new recommendations said “The recommendation is going to be essentially a supplement for every child and adolescent in the United States”. Greer goes on to say that children could potentially meet the new recommendations through diets rich in milk and fatty fish but it is unlikely that they would do so.
Personally, I’m excited to see these new recommendations and to see preventive action in response to the recent rise in Vitamin D deficiency. For more information on these new recommendations and to view the full article, click here.