North American women receiving inadequate vitamin D

Vitamin D inadequacy may be overlooked by clinicans thus leading to inadequate vitamin D supplementation in patients with osteoporosis, according to new research issued today at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) Fourteenth Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress.

A study of 1,554 postmenopausal women showed that 52% of these women had suboptimal vitamin D concentrations. Most study participants were healthy, ambulatory, community-dwelling, white women who were well educated. These results underscore a need for improved physician and patient education regarding optimization of vitamin D status in the care of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

According to the AACE Medical Guidelines for Clinical Practice of the Prevention and Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: 2001 Edition, with Selected Updates for 2003, general principles for all individuals, particularly children and adolescents, include a diet with adequate calcium content, good general nutrition, adequate vitamin D intake (at least 400 IU/day; as much as 800 IU/day in the elderly, regular weight-bearing exercise and no tobacco use. VitaminD is not widely available in natural food sources. It is primarily found in fish oils (including cod liver oil), some vegetables, and fortified milk, cereals, and breads. If appropriate, vitamin D supplements may be prescribed.

The AACE Fourteenth Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress will be held May 18 through May 22, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington , DC.

http://www.aace.com