Save your kids from vitamin D deficiency, study says it can cause heart diseases later

New Delhi: According to new research, low levels of vitamin D in children can increase the risk of heart diseases in the long run. This nutrient is essential for muscle function, immunity, and bone health, and it can be obtained from diet or through sunlight exposure. A significant number of kids in the UK are also failing to get ample levels of this nutrient. It is also estimated that 20% of the kids and one in six adults in the UK have insufficient levels of the nutrient. While the study highlights a long-term risk, there are immediate concerns as well, bone disorders like rickets. Adults with low vitamin D levels often experience muscle weakness, fatigue, and bone pain, but the risks may extend far beyond that.

How does vitamin D deficiency affect kids?

A recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology has drawn a possible link between low vitamin D levels during childhood and the later development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). ASCVD is a condition in which arteries become narrowed and hardened due to the buildup of plaque, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, the leading causes of death worldwide, according to the British Heart Foundation.
This new study was led by researchers from Turku University Hospital and the University of Turku in Finland. The scientists had previously observed early signs of atherosclerosis in adults who had low vitamin D levels as children. Their latest research sought to understand whether childhood vitamin D deficiency could serve as a predictor for cardiovascular events in adulthood.

Researchers investigated the same by analysing data from 3,516 participants involved in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study. Vitamin D levels were also assessed with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, one of the most accurate ways to check for nutrient levels. These were evaluated from samples collected in 1980 from participants aged 3 to 18 years. It was found that the average vitamin D levels among kids were 51.3 nmol/L. Over the next few decades, researchers tracked the health of participants while also evaluating cholesterol levels, diet, BMI, workout level,s and also smoking habits. By checking national health records, they found that 95 participants, just under 3%, experienced cardiovascular events by an average age of 47.

The findings were particularly striking for children with vitamin D levels below 37 nmol/L. Those with concentrations under 35 nmol/L were found to have more than double the risk of developing heart disease later in life compared to those with healthier levels.

While the study is observational and does not confirm causation, it adds to growing evidence supporting the importance of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels from a young age. Researchers believe these insights may help identify early-life risk factors for cardiovascular conditions. Health officials recommend that children between the ages of one and four take a daily vitamin D supplement year-round. For older children and adults, supplementation is especially important during the autumn and winter months when sunlight exposure is limited. Ensuring children get enough vitamin D today may help protect their heart health tomorrow.