Studies indicate that nearly 78% of Iranian children suffer from mild to severe Vitamin D3 deficiency and it is more common in girls than boys, said Dr Reza Shiyari, executive secretary of the 11th Iranian Congress of Pediatric Common Diseases and Emergencies. The congress will be held December 15-18 at Tehran’s Mofid Children’s Hospital. Vitamin D3 is essential for calcium absorption and to maintain bone health in children. The deficiency may occur due to inadequate nutrition, malabsorption, enzyme-inducing medications, and many other reasons, IRNA quoted him as saying. “Iranian diet is not rich in Vitamin D and drinking milk is not enough. Fish should be consumed two or three times a week to compensate for the lack of the nutrients in our diet,” he said, adding that, olive oil and sesame are also two great sources of the vitamin. Iranians should receive 1000 IU (international unit) of Vitamin D each day, he stressed.
