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Lack of sunlight puts Sri Lankan children at risk, says Paediatrician
By Tahaan Jayewardene
Colombo, July 30 (Daily Mirror) - Vitamin D deficiency has become a serious health concern amongst children due to lack of sunlight exposure, and this wasn’t an issue around 20-30 years ago, said Consultant Paediatrician Dr. Deepal Perera
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, he mentioned that now children, instead of going out and playing in the sun, are too busy studying for their scholarship exams, going for tuition, playing video games and watching tv and using their phones. He emphasized that they should be allowed to go outside and play.
Dr. Perera, explains that the kind of vitamin D deficiency that is seen in countries in the Middle East (where it’s difficult to go out because of the sun), and European countries (where it’s cold), is now seen more and more in Sri Lanka despite being able to naturally get it from sunlight. He mentions the best time for sunlight exposure is between 9 and 11 o’clock in the morning, adding that sun exposure is very important for the next generation. He also suggested eating vitamin D rich foods such as sprats, egg yolks and moringa leaves.
A recent study published in 2024 titled ‘Prevalence of low vitamin D status in an urban district in Sri Lanka: a population-based study’ in the journal of BMC nutrition, revealed that “despite the abundant sunshine in this tropical region, a significant public health concern persists, with a crude prevalence estimate of low vitamin D levels at 93.9%.” The study concludes; the “Colombo District, representing urban settings in Sri Lanka faces a high prevalence of low vitamin D, primarily [Vitamin D Deficiency], with higher rates in females, younger individuals and highly urban areas.”
Meanwhile, according to a study from the NIH (Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences), the major cause of Vitamin D deficiency is the lack of understanding “that sun exposure in moderation is the major source of vitamin D for most humans.” It also mentions that very few foods naturally contain vitamin D and the foods that do “are often inadequate to satisfy either a child's or an adult's vitamin D requirement.” Regarding the consequences of Vitamin D deficiency, it mentions “Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets in children and will precipitate and exacerbate osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures in adults. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk of common cancers, autoimmune diseases, hypertension, and infectious diseases.” The study, done back in 2008, starts by saying “Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as a pandemic.”
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