A recent study completed in Canada shows that the young children in the country are surprisingly low on Vitamin D. This is the first study to determine the levels of Vitamin D in toddlers in the country, and the researchers were not happy with the results. Low levels of Vitamin D can increase the risk of many different conditions, including diabetes and even cancer, and the prevalence of the vitamin deficiency was frightening. A full third of those who were tested had such low levels of the vitamin that they would be diagnosed deficient, while close to half still had levels that were lower than the recommended amount.
 
There is a link between the lack of Vitamin D in toddlers and behaviors which are also linked to other health risks. For instance, children with a higher body mass index (BMI), which can also raise the risk for a number of health issues, were found to be more likely to be Vitamin D deficient. Secondly, children who snacked while watching TV, another predictor of the higher BMI, were also found to be more likely to be D deficient than those who did not snack in front of the television. The other finding suggested that children who drank less milk were also more commonly going to be short on the Vitamin. The study suggests that doctors and pediatricians may have to begin paying closer attention to the levels of certain Vitamins amongst toddlers, as the situation appears to be much more severe than originally anticipated.