Children are breaking limbs far more than they did decades ago — and the problem might be that they aren’t playing outside enough.
Researchers blame much of the surge in broken bones on vitamin D deficiency, a scourge in undeveloped countries that is becoming more common in the US thanks to lack of exposure to the sun, poor diet, and exercise and sleep habits.
Compared to 30 years ago, forearm fractures are up 32% in boys and 56% in girls, according to a study by the Mayo Clinic.
“There’s no doubt about the importance of vitamin D in bone health,” says Dr. John Hardin, a researcher for the National Arthritis Foundation. “If you look at the individuals that are vitamin D deficient, then they do indeed have a higher chance of bone fractures.”
Sunshine is a factor because vitamin D is synthesized within the body when ultraviolet light strikes the skin. Children today, however, aren’t spending enough time outdoors to receive sunshine’s benefits.
“School days are long. Kids have a lot of home work when they come home — they like to watch TV and play video games,” said Dr. Gabrielle Gold-von Simson, a pediatric researcher at NYU Langone Medical Center.
In October 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics doubled its recommended daily intake of vitamin D for children from 200 to 400 units per day. “We are recommending that children do take a multivitamin, primarily to get the vitamin D, because we know that it’s so lacking in the diet of the child and the adolescent,” said Gold-von Simson.