Low levels of vitamin D can cause what condition?

Low levels of vitamin D can lead to rickets, a condition characterized by soft and weak bones in children. Vitamin D is essential for regulating calcium and phosphate in the body, which are critical for bone formation and maintenance. Without adequate vitamin D, the body cannot properly absorb calcium from the diet, leading to impaired bone mineralization. This results in the characteristic skeletal deformities associated with rickets, such as bowed legs and thickened wrists and ankles.

In context, osteoporosis, while also related to bone health, is more commonly associated with aging and can arise from a variety of factors, including long-term deficiency of several nutrients, not just vitamin D alone. Beri-beri is caused by a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1) and affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Scurvy is the result of a deficiency in vitamin C, affecting collagen synthesis and leading to symptoms such as gum disease and weakness. Thus, rickets is specifically linked with vitamin D deficiency in children, making it the correct answer in this context.