Update Date: 2010/01/23 14:50 Zhang Zhiyun (AFP Paris 22nd Report)

Another downside has been added to children spending long hours in front of computer screens. British scientists today stated that prolonged computer use may lead to children developing rickets, a condition characterized by bone deformities.

Rickets is primarily caused by a long-term deficiency of vitamin D. Children with rickets experience pain, deformities, and abnormal development, such as bowed legs.

This disease is mainly associated with extreme poverty and often evokes images of 19th-century British literary figure Charles Dickens. It can easily be prevented with a balanced diet and adequate sunlight exposure.

However, doctors this month reported that the disease has once again become "disturbingly common" in the UK.

Professor Simon Pearce from Newcastle University in northeastern England said, "Children today tend to stay indoors playing on computers rather than going outside to enjoy fresh air." Pearce is also the lead author of a study on vitamin D deficiency.

He stated at a press conference, "This means their vitamin D levels are lower than in previous years."

Researchers noted that although the report focuses on the UK, other industrialized countries around the world may be experiencing similar trends.

So, how can this be addressed? While sunlight helps boost vitamin D intake, it also increases the risk of skin cancer.

Another option is dietary adjustments. Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, and herring are rich in the vitamin that prevents rickets.

But if you dislike the strong fishy smell or find fish too expensive, there’s another choice: milk. (Translator: Zhang Zhiyun, Central News Agency)

Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 100123/ 19/ 1zbga. html