The best time for sun exposure to synthesize vitamin D is between 10 AM and 3 PM, for about 10-15 minutes each day. However, be aware that during summer, this time may cause skin burns in children.
Dr. Hoang Nguyet Quynh from the Department of Guidance, Children’s Hospital No. 1, Ho Chi Minh City, states that vitamin D plays a crucial role in the metabolism of calcium and phosphate, which are the two main components of a strong skeletal system.
Vitamin D exists in two main forms: D2 and D3. Vitamin D2 is primarily found in plants and fungi, while vitamin D3 can be synthesized by the body through sunlight or is present in foods such as tuna, salmon, and eggs…
The best time for sun exposure is from 10 AM to 3 PM daily.
For children, especially infants and those under six months who are exclusively breastfed, breast milk is the best and most perfect food. However, the vitamin D content in breast milk is very low (about 15 units per day), which does not meet the developmental needs of the child (approximately 400 units per day). Therefore, if vitamin D is not supplemented from other sources, children may suffer from rickets, leading to short stature, bone deformities, and delayed tooth eruption…
According to Dr. Quynh, sunbathing will help the child’s body synthesize a sufficient amount of vitamin D according to their needs. However, it is essential to sunbathe correctly to achieve effectiveness.
Specifically, when allowing children to sunbathe, it is necessary to remove their clothing, leaving only a diaper and shielding their eyes so that the skin can directly contact sunlight, as UVB rays cannot penetrate clothing or glass.
The best time for sun exposure is from 10 AM to 3 PM daily. This is when the level of UVB rays in sunlight is at its highest. Outside of this time, the rays are primarily UVA, which does not contribute to vitamin D synthesis.
The duration of sun exposure depends on the intensity of sunlight and the child’s skin color. In the summer, 10-15 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM is sufficient to meet the vitamin D needs of most people.
However, sunbathing correctly, especially in summer, is quite challenging to implement in Vietnam. Dr. Quynh believes that the reason is the postpartum confinement customs, which cause mothers and babies to often stay in dark rooms, limiting the child’s exposure to sunlight.
Moreover, allowing children to sunbathe during the hours of 10 AM to 3 PM in tropical countries like Vietnam can pose health risks such as skin burns or increase the risk of aging and skin cancer in adults. While sunbathing outside these hours may be more comfortable, it does not provide enough vitamin D that the body needs. When sunbathing correctly, the body can only synthesize 80-90% of the required vitamin D.
To safely supplement vitamin D for children, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends supplementation through dietary sources rich in vitamin D (such as mushrooms, salmon, tuna, shrimp, oysters, eggs, soy milk, cereals, and oats) or vitamin D supplements. For children who cannot obtain vitamin D through their diet, choosing vitamin D supplements is the most suitable solution.
