India (Commonwealth Union)_ According to Indian physicians, pandemic-induced lockdowns have led to a rise in vitamin D deficiency in young children. While babies born immediately before and during the pandemic appear to be the most severely impacted, even teenagers are deficient in this sunlight vitamin since they spent nearly two full years indoors. India had a quite high frequency of this ailment prior to the pandemic.
According to Dr Arvind Kumar, director & HOD – Pediatrics at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, the observed number of children with vitamin D insufficiency rose dramatically during and after the Covid. The majority of children suffering from Vitamin D insufficiency due to Covid were newborns and adolescents. The deficiency has been found mostly in children aged 2 to 14. According to Dr. Yogesh Kumar Gupta, pediatrics consultant at Fortis Hospital in Bengaluru, owing to a lack of sun exposure, playtime, and incorrect food, Covid indirectly caused Vitamin D insufficiency in children.
For some youngsters, additional factors may play a role. Premature infants and those who are breastfed have an increased chance of acquiring this deficit. According to Dr Ashok Gawdi, consultant pediatrics at Apollo Hospitals in Navi Mumbai, “Babies who are born prematurely have a high risk of vitamin D deficiency. Breastfed babies are also at risk, though breast milk is the best type of food for babies, but it does not contain much vitamin D”. According to an article from Nature published in October 2022, around 151.9 million children in India were reported to be suffering from Vitamin D insufficiency in 2019.
Vitamin D is crucial to a child’s growth. Its shortage has both immediate and long-term negative impacts on the child’s physical and mental health. Long-term vitamin D insufficiency in children can lead to stunted growth, rickets, osteomalacia, bone discomfort, and muscular weakness. Rickets is a disorder that causes the bones of growing youngsters to become softer, thinner, weaker, and deformed. According to Varsha Gorey, clinical nutritionist at Apollo Hospitals in Navi Mumbai, “In the long term, this deficiency can further cause skeletal deformities, brittle bones, frequent fractures, and lead to premature osteoporosis”.
It is also crucial for maintaining internal homeostasis and healthy physiological function. Homeostasis is the propensity of the organism to maintain a steady and largely consistent internal environment. A deficiency makes the immune system relatively ineffective, thereby increasing the likelihood of contracting an infection. Doctors assert that its shortage might also affect a child’s mental health. According to Dr. Kumar, Vitamin D insufficiency has a significant influence on mental health. Its deficits result in a weakened immune system, the development of hypertension, stunted growth, and mental health concerns such as depression.
A 2019 research published in the Journal of Hypertension monitored 775 children from birth to age 18 and discovered that vitamin D insufficiency in young kids doubled the risk of increased systolic blood pressure in children aged 3 to 18 years. According to the study, excessive systolic blood pressure might result in cardiovascular problems in the long run. To overcome this deficiency, children require regular exposure to the sun. It is commonly known that sunshine is the best source of vitamin D, and experts recommend at least 30 minutes of daily exposure to the sun.
Dr Kumar added, “For sunlight to provide enough Vitamin D, a daily exposure of 20-30 minutes in infants and 30-45 minutes in older children over 32- 40% of body surface area is recommended 5 times a week during noon (11 am to 3 pm)”. In addition to sunshine, experts urge that youngsters include certain foods in their regular diet. Some of the suggested foods are fish, liver oil, eggs, milk butter, cheese, and mushrooms. Dr. Kumar stated that fortification of milk, oil, ghee, cheese, and butter is a vital preventative health precaution.
