Four out of 10 children aren’t getting enough vitamin D — even by the old, low government standards — a study published this week in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine claims.

Expanded to higher vitamin D recommendations now being proposed by most in the vitamin D community, the study would show that most children today are vitamin D deficient — a result that can only be explained logically by over-use of sunscreen and over-zealous sun protection.

“This adds to the body of evidence now that children today are at risk for vitamin D deficiency, and that over-zealous sun protection is a problem that likely will have negative public health ramifications in the future,” Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. “This is one more reason that the public health message about UV light has to be moderated.”

The study, from Children’s Hospital in Boston, studied mostly urban children. It showed:

• 40 percent of children had insufficient vitamin D.
• 12 percent of children were vitamin D deficient.
• 28 percent of children were at risk for vitamin D deficiency.

“Health professionals believe that one of the reasons for increased vitamin D deficiency is growing concern over skin cancer, and parents keeping their children out of the sun or overusing sunscreen, which blocks ultraviolet radiation,” Natural News reported in its coverage of the study.

To read Natural News coverage of the study click here.