Abstract
Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency has been associated with a wide spectrum of diseases, ranging from neurological disorders to chronic inflammatory conditions [1]. The resurgence of rickets in some Western countries highlights the potential risks of not gaining sufficient vitamin D through diet, supplementation or exposure to sunlight [2,3]. Vitamin D deficiency is frequently defined as serum concentrations less than 20 ng/mL with concentrations between 21-29 ng/mL treated as insufficiency and greater than 30 ng/mL as sufficient [4-7]. Recent studies attest to widespread insufficiency of vitamin D in many Western nations, namely the UK, USA and other European countries, including Greece [5,6,8]. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy has been associated with maternal morbidity, including gestational diabetes [9] and an increased rate of caesarean section [10]. Likewise, for the neonate, there is a putative association with being small-for-gestational age (SGA) [11]. Finally, as far as children are concerned, impaired neurocognitive development [12] and skeletal problems, such as reduced bone mineral content [13] have been reported.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Clinical Nutrition |
Subtitle of host publication | The Interface Between Metabolism, Diet, and Disease |
Publisher | Apple Academic Press |
Pages | 315-334 |
Number of pages | 20 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781482239089 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781926895970 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 1 2013 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine