The nation’s top physicians group on Monday recommends that children from newborns to teens should double their currently recommended intake of vitamin D because evidence has suggested that the current recommended dose is too low to prevent some health conditions that would otherwise be presentable at high intake.

The daily intake of vitamin D is currently recommended by the government at 200 international units for infants, children and adults age under 50 years. For adults between 50 and 70, the current recommendation is 400 IUs and for adults older than 70, 600 IUs per day is recommended.

The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends children including breast-fed infants should get 400 IUs a day.    Physicians have been saying all along that exposure of both hands and the face to sunshine for 10 to 15 minutes each day will lead to generation of sufficient vitamin D.  

Vitamin D can be found in a small number of foods mostly in oily fish such as salmon and fortified foods such as milk and orange juice.    Vitamin D supplements are also a major source of this vitamin.

The tune of the recommendations sounds like that the organization is promoting consumption of milk.   The recommendation is stated as "Supplementation should be continued unless the infant starts taking at least one quart a day of vitamin D-fortified formula or whole milk, although whole milk should not be introduced until the child has turned 1. Many children, including those with a family history of obesity, should only be drinking low-fat milk." quoted by healthday.com.

Critics said the newly recommended intake may not be enough.  Studies suggest that to have a protective effect, children may take as much as 1,000 IUs of vitamin D daily without any side effect.  We are waiting for the next recommendation!