Rickets is a condition that causes a child’s developing bones to weaken or soften. Most people believe the primary characteristic of rickets is a bowing of the legs. However, more prominent signs include widening of the wrists, bone pain while walking and swelling of the knees.
Prevalence of rickets
Most cases of rickets are caused by vitamin D deficiency. Since this relationship is widely accepted in mainstream medicine, prenatal vitamins and infant formulas now contain vitamin D in order to support healthy bone development among young children. Now, less than 0.1% of infants are born with rickets.
Although rickets has become increasingly uncommon in western society over the last 40 years, it remains highly prevalent in developing countries (ranging from 10%-70% depending on location). Furthermore, those with a darker skin tone or who were breastfed by their deficient mother experience an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency.
History of rickets
Rickets was first identified approximately 400 years ago during the industrial revolution. Unfortunately, it took another 300 years for researchers to determine that vitamin D deficiency was the cause of this preventable bone disease, and safe, sun habits or vitamin D supplementation is the simple solution. But the question remains, have children suffered rickets long before the disease was identified?
New research on bone health in skeletons across the Roman Empire
Exposing your skin to the sun naturally produces vitamin D. As a result, the primary contributor to deficiency results when living conditions prevent people from getting out in the sun. This knowledge led research from Historic England and McMaster University in Canada to hypothesize that rickets existed in Ancient Rome, where urbanization first took place in Europe.
The researchers examined 2,787 skeletons from 18 cemeteries across the Roman empire over a period of three years. They found bone deformities consistent with rickets in every 1 of 18 skeletons. In addition, about 1 in 31 adult skeletons showed evidence of osteomalacia (or adult rickets).
Co-author of the study, Simon May, concluded:
“Our study shows that vitamin D deficiency is far from being a new problem – even 2,000 years ago people, especially babies, were at risk.”
Final thoughts
Two thousand years ago, rickets didn’t have a name or a known cure. Today, this condition is easily preventable by addressing vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and ensuring infants and children’s vitamin D needs are met. To prevent rickets, a daily does of at least 400 IU vitamin D3 is required. However, experts recommend 1,000 IU vitamin D3/day to support the wide range of important bodily processes required for developing children that goes beyond bone health.
If you are interested in learning more about the health benefits of vitamin D, reach out to a member of our team to have your questions answered.
Source
Lahore, H. Rickets – Bowed legs was not the primary feature. Vitamin D Wiki, Jan, 2018.