Michigan Esthetician State Board Practice Exam

A lack of vitamin D causes which condition?

1. Anemia

2. Scurvy

3. Rickets

4. Osteoporosis

The correct answer is: Rickets

The condition associated with a lack of vitamin D is rickets. Vitamin D is essential for maintaining proper levels of calcium and phosphorus in the body, which are critical for healthy bone development. In children, a deficiency in vitamin D leads to rickets, characterized by the softening and weakening of bones, resulting in potential growth disturbances and skeletal deformities. This condition often presents with symptoms like delayed physical development and bone pain. While anemia, scurvy, and osteoporosis are medical conditions linked to deficiencies of other nutrients or factors, they do not stem from a deficiency in vitamin D. Anemia is primarily associated with a lack of iron, scurvy is a result of insufficient vitamin C, and osteoporosis is typically caused by a combination of aging, hormone changes, and nutritional factors including but not specifically related to vitamin D alone. Therefore, rickets is distinctly identified as the condition directly resulting from insufficient vitamin D.