Recommended vitamin D intake and management of low vitamin D status in adolescents: a position statement of the society for adolescent health and medicine.

Vitamin D deficiency is common in adolescents worldwide, and the list of reported detrimental health effects associated with this deficiency continues to grow [1]. Even subclinical deficiency during adolescence may affect bone acquisition, potentially reducing peak bone mass and increasing the risk of osteoporosis in later life. Current evidence suggests that giving vitamin D supplements to adolescents who are vitamin Dedeficient may improve their bone mineral density as well as increase their total bone mineral content [2e4]. There is also recentevidence to suggest that an adequate vitamin D intake is associated with decreased stress fracture risk among physically active females [5]. Because adolescence is a critical period for bone mineral accrual, it is clear that attention should be paid to the vitamin D status of adolescents.