Rickets Is a Softening of the Bones That Can Lead

Multiple Choice

Rickets is a softening of the bones that can lead to frequent fractures and skeletal deformities. The legs of a person with rickets tend to bow outward under the force exerted by body weight and movement. British scientists found a serious increase in the incidence of rickets and other bone deficiencies among women in Middle Eastern countries who cover their bodies completely to express a form of religious belief, as well as among their breast-fed children.
Most of the body's vitamin D, which is necessary for calcium absorption by bone tissue, is obtained through sunlight acting on the skin. Doctors warn that women who completely cover their skin do not get enough sunlight to produce the vitamin D necessary for bone health. This lack of sun exposure also lowers the level of vitamin D in their breast milk, which means that their children may develop the same vitamin D deficiencies. Lack of calcium and phosphorous, which are needed for bone repair and replacement, can also lead to rickets. Rickets caused by a dietary lack of these minerals is more common in developing countries because dairy products and green vegetables, the best sources of calcium, are not commonly eaten.
-As a physician caring for a nursing woman who has chosen to dress in a way that covers her skin but who is concerned about rickets developing in her baby, you might advise her to

A) exercise more.
B) eats lots of meat and potatoes.
C) take vitamin D and calcium supplements.
D) give up smoking.