11 February 2006
Abu Dhabi: Children in the UAE have a high level of vitamin D deficiency due to lack of exposure to sunlight, say paediatricians.This in turn will cause a calcium deficiency that may lead to osteoporosis, they warned.
Children above eight years should exercise, get enough vitamin D and calcium and get out in the sunlight for 15-20 minutes a day in order to prevent developing osteoporosis, they said.
Doctors should evaluate children to assess the amount of calcium they get and encourage them to exercise, the American Academy of Pediatricians advises.
An academy report issued last Monday showed that most children over eight do not get enough calcium, a deficiency that increases their risk of developing osteoporosis in adulthood.
Ideal time
Dr Tamer Adham, a pediatrician at Al Noor Hospital in Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News that in the UAE there are many cases of calcium deficiency.
"We see here many cases of vitamin D deficiency which is related to calcium deficiency. This exists in the UAE more than any part of the world even when compared to poor countries," he said.
Dr Adham related the deficiency to bad nutrition habits, in addition to the lack of exposure to sunlight.
"In the UAE no one gets direct sunlight due to the excessive heat," he said.
In order to get enough sunlight, parents need to expose their children to direct sunlight wearing light clothing, said Dr Adham.
"The best time for exposure is either just after sunrise or just before sunset (to get oblique sun rays). Midday sun can be very harmful," he said.
He said vitamin D is very essential to the body in order to absorb calcium.
"Vitamin D helps absorb calcium from the intestine and from the kidneys before it is being lost in urine," he said. Bad nutrition plays an important role in weakening the child's bones, said Dr Adham.
"The dominance of the fast food culture also plays a role especially for children who are above eight and prefer to have a burger over milk and cereals," he said.
Diet of natural food can help
www.nof.org/osteoporosis Dr Tamer Adham
By Mohammad Shamseddine
Gulf News 2006. All rights reserved.
