Final answer:
Osteomalacia, also known as rickets in children, is a bone-softening disease caused primarily by vitamin D deficiency, leading to bone demineralization and deformities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Osteomalacia, which refers to the softening of the bones in adults, is most often caused by a deficiency in vitamin D. This condition leads to demineralization, especially noted in women who may have limited exposure to sunlight and can occur after several pregnancies. Rickets is the term used for a similar condition in children. It results in the softening of bones due to inadequate mineralization, leading to bone deformities such as bowing of the legs. Rickets is most commonly caused by a deficiency in vitamin D, which is essential for the absorption of calcium and phosphate in the intestines.
Osteoporosis is another condition characterized by bones becoming weak and brittle, generally related to age or an imbalance in bone remodeling cells. Alternatively, osteoarthritis is a joint disorder leading to cartilage breakdown, while osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), also known as brittle bone disease, is a genetic disorder where bones are fragile and prone to fracture due to improper formation or inadequate production of collagen.
Rickets and Osteomalacia are terms that are often confused but refer to similar conditions in different age groups: Rickets in children and Osteomalacia in adults. Therefore, osteomalacia is also called rickets (option 1) when referring to the pediatric condition.
Answer: 1) Rickets