Many children aren’t getting enough vitamin D, and that puts them at greater risk for health problems. Researchers pored over data on more than 3,500 young people between 12 and 19 years old. Those with the lowest levels of vitamin D were twice as likely as their peers to have high blood pressure and 2½ times as likely to have elevated blood glucose levels,  even when the effect of body fat was discounted. Youth with low D levels were also 54 percent more likely to have low HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels. The study’s authors caution that the research is preliminary; parents shouldn’t resort to supplements right away. Instead, a good way of getting more vitamin D is by spending 15 minutes a day in sunlight or drinking milk or juice fortified with the vitamin.
Source: Pediatrics, published online Aug. 3, 2009