Studies Open for Enrollment

Vitamin D Insufficiency:  Prevalence and Impact in Young School Age Children

Vitamin D is important for keeping our bones healthy and strong. Our bodies produce Vitamin D both from the foods we eat, but mainly from sunlight touching our skin. Low vitamin D levels are likely to be a common problem in the Northeast parts of the USA, especially during the winter months. This risk is greater among people with darker skin color, as they have more melanin in their skin, which acts as a natural sunscreen. The purpose of this research study is to look into the Vitamin D status of young children during summer (June through September) and winter (December through March). The results from this study will help us find out how common low vitamin D levels are in young school aged children during winter and summer and how this affects their bone health.

Candidates
Healthy children between the ages of 6 to 12 years old in pre- or early puberty.  A study total of 140 children, of which 94 will be African-American and 46 will be Caucasian.
Boys: 6–12 years old
Girls: 6–12 years old

Requirements
Participants in this study will need to complete two office visits, taking place in winter and summer, with the study covering six months. Both visits will take approximately two hours to include measurements of the participant’s height, weight, a determination of skin type and a blood draw. Participants will complete a questionnaire during each visit and will need to provide a record of diet covering a three-day period. Parent/guardian and the child’s physician will be notified of the test results by letter.
Visits: 2
Duration: 6 months

Status: Open for Enrollment

How to Participate
To get started, please contact:
Kumaravel Rajakumar, MD
412-692-5415

Principal Investigator
Kumaravel Rajakumar, MD
General Academic Pediatrics

Source of Support
National Institutes of Health