According to new research by Boston Children’s Hospital, about 40% of infants and toddlers and 42% of teens are not getting enough Vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential to calcium absorption and bone growth and adequate intake of Vitamin D can prevent rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults.

But before you hit the panic button, be reassured that Vitamin D is found in a whole host of foods. In fact, in the US, fortified foods provide most of the vitamin D consumed. It is available in cereals as well as in calcium-fortified fruit juices and non-dairy milks. Most multi-vitamins also contain Vitamin D supplementation.

But, perhaps the best way to get Vitamin D, is to just go outside and get some sunshine. The current NIH recommendation is an exposure of “5-30 minutes between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen.”

So, break away from your computer, video game, and/or television and pick up your vegetables from the weekly farmer’s market, or take a post-prandial stroll (be it post-lunch or post-dinner), ride your bike to work once or twice a week, take a jog around the block, or do some weekend gardening with the kids. You’re sure to be just fine.

But remember, UV rays can’t penetrate glass, so sitting near a window isn’t going to cut it! Shade and cloudy days will also cut the effectiveness of UV rays in half. And, note that a vegan diet is no more subject to Vitamin D deficiency than any other diet. Vitamin D, in general, is found in very, very few foods, and it’s worth reiterating that the vast majority of Vitamin D intake is consumed in fortified foods. If Vitamin D deficiency is a risk, camping out for too long behind closed doors is a more likely culprit than lack of nutritious food.