nutritional disorders
Vitamin D Deficiency and Dependency
Prevention ofVitamin DDeficiency and Dependency
Dietary counseling is particularly important in communities whose members are at risk ofvitamin Ddeficiency. Fortifying unleavened chapati flour withvitamin D(125 mcg/kg) has been effective among Indian immigrants in Britain. The benefits of sunlight exposure forvitamin Dstatus must be weighed against the increased skin damage and skin cancer risks. All breastfed infants should be given supplementalvitamin D10 mcg (400 units) once a day from birth to 6 months; at 6 months, a more diversified diet is available. Any benefit of doses higher than the recommended daily allowance is unproved. 