Final answer:
Rickets is a deficiency-related disease caused by a lack of vitamin D, resulting in soft, weak bones and skeletal deformities in children. It is due to insufficient vitamin D, necessary for the absorption of calcium and phosphate, leading to bone issues like bowed legs, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Vitamin D Deficiency and Related Diseases
One example of a deficiency-related disease caused by a long-term lack of vitamin D is rickets. This disorder occurs in children and is characterized by soft, weak bones and skeletal deformities due to defective mineralization of bone. These deformities often present as bowed legs. The condition arises from insufficient vitamin D, which is essential for the absorption of calcium and phosphate in the intestines. Without adequate vitamin D, there is a decrease in calcium absorption, leading to the depletion of calcium stores in the skeletal system. This deficiency may also contribute to osteomalacia in adults, which involves soft bones that have a tendency to break easily, and also to osteoporosis.
Other factors that can contribute to rickets include:
- A deficiency of calcium and phosphate in the diet.
- Poor absorption of calcium from the intestine.
- Parathyroid deficiency or hypoparathyroidism.
- Increased alkaline phosphatase activity.
Symptoms of vitamin D excess, known as hypervitaminosis D, include nausea, vomiting, and headache.