Children need to be out in the sun often

Children need to be out in the sun often
2010/03/28
By Halimatul Hamid(new straits time)
KUALA LUMPUR: Children need to play and exercise more under the sun, said Universiti Putra Malaysia nutrition and dietetics department head, Associate Professor Dr Zalilah Mohd Shariff.

Addressing researchers and dieticians at the GlaxoSmithKline symposium on "Vitamin D Insufficiency In Malaysian School Children" yesterday, she said: "This is the best and easiest way for children to get their dose of the sunshine vitamin.

"Studies have shown that many children with vitamin D deficiency do not get enough sun exposure because parents are worried that their children will be exposed to air pollutants and harmful rays that could cause skin cancer.

"This misconception needs to be changed.

"The recommended sun exposure is just 10 to 15 minutes, three to five times a week," she said adding that 70 per cent of primary school students are vitamin D deficient.

Zalilah added that although students spend an hour a week for physical exercise in school, most of the activities were conducted under the shade.

"I have seen teachers conducting lessons under a tree or in the hall.

"There are even some who would give directions to their students while holding an umbrella," she claimed.

Zalilah said vitamin D does not only reduce the risk of rickets, cancer, diabetes mellitus and hypertension, it also helps boost the immune system to fight against fever and flu.

According to Universiti Malaya paediatric endocrinologist Dr Muhammad Yazid Jalaludin, groups at risk of deficiency include pregnant women, mothers who breast feed and obese children.

He said a preliminary study done by the University Malaya Medical Centre showed that 60 per cent of pregnant women in the third trimester suffered from vitamin D deficiency.

He said children and adults needed 400 units of vitamin D daily. Vitamin D content is high in salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna, cod liver oil, egg yolk and fortified foods like milk, bread and cheese.



中國‧北京奢華難掩窮人悲哀‧母病父工作稚兒鎖街邊
2010-02-06 14:24 新洲日报
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金蛋兒把鎖住自己的鐵鏈當玩具。


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（中國）中國首都北京的奢華外表，掩藏著無數窮人的呻吟！
重慶一名在北京謀生的民工，因妻子患病，女兒早前突然失蹤，而他又要開電單車載客養家，無暇照 顧兩歲兒子，日間惟有將兒子用鐵鏈鎖在街邊。
事件引起中外媒體和民間的關注，紛紛向他們施以援手，目前已有學校免費讓男童入讀幼兒園，直到 他畢業為止。
貧父稱妻病需找生計
北京華冠購物商場最近出現了一個被鏈條鎖在電燈柱的2歲男童，乍看似乎是在虐待兒童，引起了路 人的關注。男童的父親程傳六表示，靠開電單車載客養家的他為了掙到鈔票要跑遍整個城市，微薄的收入也讓他實在無法負擔保姆費，鎖住他是唯一可以防止孩子被 人綁架的方法。
程傳六表示，因妻子患有精神病，4歲的女兒半個月前突然失蹤了，為保兒子，“只能拴住他，怕他 丟了”。
男童叫金蛋兒。每天早上程傳六開工前，把金蛋兒用鐵鏈鎖在路邊，有客時就請小販或其他電單車司 機幫忙照顧一下，直到下班才把孩子接回家。
臉蛋凍得通紅喝冷奶
近日，北京天寒地凍，氣溫在0℃下，可憐的小金蛋被兩米長的鐵鏈鎖住腳腕，臉蛋還凍得通紅，時 而坐在紙板上，喝爸爸留給他的冷奶，奶嘴已發黑。
程傳六稱，妻子生了三孩子，大女兒半個月前失蹤了，第二個兒子不幸夭折，金蛋兒是第三個，現妻 子又懷孕了。他稱，鄉下窮，回去沒飯吃，在京開車搭客每日還能賺四、五十元人民幣，至少能解決溫飽。對於孩子的未來，他一臉茫然：“沒想那麼多，過一天是 一天吧！”
北京民眾紛施援
金蛋兒的遭遇引起中外輿論關注。孩子被鎖在街頭的圖片，更震撼無數讀者。
近日，北京民眾紛紛向程家施以援助，有公益機構願意幫程家尋找失蹤的女兒。當地一家幼兒園稱， 願免費接收金蛋兒入園，直至他畢業。
而在輿論壓力下，當地政府急補鑊。房山區政府稱，民政部門早兩、三年前就注意到程家情況，曾勸 他們去救助站，也給他們送過衣服食品，但他們不接受援助。
中國時事評論員阮占江指，金蛋兒的遭遇是北京現代奢華的另一面，政府關心農民工不應只做表面文 章，而應切實行動。（大馬星洲日報）


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