Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that children who live in countries at higher latitudes, such as Canada, where there is less sunlight for much of the year, are far more likely to develop juvenile diabetes than kids who live at or near the equator.
These findings add new support to the concept of a role of vitamin D in reducing risk of this disease. Ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure triggers photosynthesis of vitamin D3 in the skin. This form of vitamin D also is available through diet and supplements.
The study was published online Thursday in the journal Diabetologia.
Type 1 diabetes is the second most common chronic disease in children, second only to asthma. Every day, 1.5 million Americans deal with type 1 diabetes and its complications. Juvenile diabetes is the main cause of blindness in young and middle-aged adults and is among the top reasons for kidney failure and transplants in youth and midlife.
About 15,000 new cases of type 1 diabetes are diagnosed in the United States each year. The research also added that childhood type 1 diabetes may be preventable with a modest intake of vitamin D3 (1,000 IU/day).
However, children should be exposed to only five to 10 minutes of sunlight around noontime, when good weather allows. Infants less than a year old should not be given more than 400 IU per day without consulting a doctor.
One should always block the harmful sunrays at age and wear hats and dark glasses while going out.
