One out 10 or 10.3 percent of Filipino children aged 6 to 12 had vitamin D deficiency, with highest prevalence recorded in the National Capital Region , based on the 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey of the Department of Science and Technology- Food and Nutrition Research Institute’s .
Older children aged 11 to 12 have a higher likelihood of having vitamin D deficiency than younger children and Filipino girls are 1.5 times more likely to be vitamin D deficient than boys, the 2018 ENNS showed. “A significantly higher proportion of vitamin D insufficiency is observed in girls, six out of 10 than among boys, four out 10 aged 6 to12 years old,” it said.
It also revealed that around 4 to 5 out 10 Filipino children 6 to12 years old across islands have insufficient levels of vitamin D.
Because they are not allowed to go out and get some sunlight, a source of Vit D.