Docs Find Little Kids Low on Vitamin D

Many young children are not receiving enough vitamin D, putting them at risk of bone problems and immune-system trouble, ABC News reports. In a group of 380 kids ages 2 and younger, 12% were deficient in vitamin D and 40% had below-optimal levels. A third of those deficient showed changes in bone density of the wrist and knee, and a few even had rickets.

The deficiency rate is "higher than expected in a country that has vitamin-D-fortified milk," the lead researcher tells Reuters. The best natural source of vitamin D is the sun, and parents who constantly cover their kids with sunblock and blankets may raise the risk of underexposure. Another source is fortified foods, especially milk products, bread, and cereals. (More vitamin D stories.)