Modern lifestyle bringing back rickets to Britain
November 14th, 2010 - 1:23 pm ICT by IANSLondon, Nov 14 (IANS) Rickets, a ‘17th century diseases’ caused by low levels of vitamin D, is rearing its ugly head in Britain after 80 years, and modern lifestyle is to blame.
It is thought that extensive use of sunscreens, children playing computer games and watching TV rather than being outdoors and a poor diet are to blame.
Children from all backgrounds are being affected now and the disease is not limited to the poor as it was in Victorian times, reports the Telegraph.
Nicholas Clarke, professor of paediatric orthopaedic surgery at the University of Southampton in UK, and colleague Justin Davies, paediatric endocrinologist, have checked over 200 children for bone problems.
More than 20 percent of them have significant deficiencies. “A lot of the children we’ve seen have got low vitamin D and require treatment,” said Clarke.
“This is almost certainly a combination of the modern lifestyle, which involves a lack of exposure to sunlight, but also covering up in sunshine, and we’re seeing cases that are very reminiscent of 17th century England.”
Prof Clarke says vitamin D supplements should be more widely adopted to halt the rise in cases. Vitamin D is found in oily fish and eggs and margarine, cereals and milk can be fortified with it.
The vitamin is vital for the absorption of calcium needed for strong bones and teeth.
- Vitamin D pills advised for under-fives to avoid rickets - Jan 27, 2011
- Kids with celiac disease should go for vitamins to stave off bone disease: Study - Jul 23, 2010
- 'Sunshine vitamin' can help beat cancer, heart disease - Aug 16, 2010
- Too much of sunblock 'causing a rise in Vit D deficiency in children' - Feb 03, 2011
- Oral steroids bring on vitamin D deficiency - Sep 30, 2011
- Osteoporosis, the next big health worry for India (Oct 20 is World Osteoporosis Day) - Oct 20, 2011
- Weight loss increases Vitamin D in obese women - May 26, 2011
- Going out in the midday sun may be good for you - Dec 17, 2010
- Keep tab on osteoporosis pain-reliever: Experts (Oct 20 is World Osteoporosis Day) - Oct 19, 2011
- Protect skin with sunscreen, but use lightly - May 20, 2012
- Poor Vit D levels in newborns up risk of respiratory infections - Dec 27, 2010
- Vitamin D deficiency linked to wide array of diseases - Aug 24, 2010
- High vitamin-D bread could help solve insufficiency problem - Feb 24, 2011
- 'Anti-ageing' vitamin could weaken your bones - Mar 06, 2012
- Consensus on optimal vitamin D dose lacking despite many health benefits - Sep 17, 2009
Tags: 17th century england, absorption of calcium, bone problems, bones, britain london, cereals, colleague, deficiencies, eggs, margarine, oily fish, orthopaedic surgery, playing computer games, poor diet, sunlight, ugly head, university of southampton, victorian times, vitamin d, watching tv