What condition is prevented by adding Vitamin D to milk?

The addition of Vitamin D to milk is primarily aimed at preventing rickets, a condition characterized by the softening and weakening of bones in children. This condition is caused by a deficiency in Vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate, and it leads to improper bone mineralization, resulting in deformed bones and skeletal deformities.

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in calcium absorption in the gut, and maintaining adequate levels of calcium in the blood is essential for proper bone development and growth. By fortifying milk with Vitamin D, the dairy industry helps to ensure that individuals—especially children—receive enough of this vital nutrient to support healthy skeleton development, significantly reducing the incidence of rickets.

Scurvy, pellagra, and beriberi are all conditions related to deficiencies in other vitamins. Scurvy is associated with a lack of Vitamin C, pellagra is due to a deficiency in niacin (Vitamin B3), and beriberi arises from a lack of thiamine (Vitamin B1). Therefore, these conditions do not relate to the fortification of milk with Vitamin D, making rickets the correct association in this context.