MANY PEOPLE LACKING VITAMIN D
A quarter of all toddlers in the UK
are lacking Vitamin D, according to research.
Vitamin D
supplements are recommended for those people at risk of
deficiency, including all pregnant and breastfeeding women,
children under five, and the elderly, but 74% of parents know
nothing about them and more than half of healthcare
professionals are also unaware, the BBC say.
Dr Benjamin Jacobs, consultant
paediatrician at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital,
described the issue as a major problem.
"We see about one case of rickets a
month in our hospital, but that's the very severe end of the
disease. There are many other children who have less severe
problems - muscle weakness, delay in walking, bone pains - and
research indicates that in many parts of the country the
majority of children have a low level of Vitamin D"
It was discovered that Vitamin D
prevents rickets about 100 years ago when most children in
London suffered from the disease, and it was later eradicated.
But then, in the 1950s, there was
concern that children were getting too much Vitamin D in food
supplements and cod liver oil and supplements were stopped. This
was unlike in other Western countries where they continued.
According to Dr Jacobs it was thought
they were unnecessary, possibly harmful, and that was a major
mistake.
He said parents are largely unaware of
the risk of the condition, while health professionals are often
taught that rickets is a disease of the past.
"It's really only over the past 10
years or so that I've noticed children with Vitamin D
deficiency. I would say today, the majority of doctors, health
visitors, midwives, nurses, are not aware enough of the
problem," he said.
Asked about how vulnerable people can
be given more Vitamin D, Dr Jacobs
said current guidelines suggest taking drops or tablets, but
experts are also looking into food supplementation.
He said it would not be harmful if
people ended up with too much Vitamin
D in their diet
Current guidelines suggest that
children and pregnant women should have 400 units a day, but he
described this as a "conservative" level compared to the US,
where he said a study suggested pregnant women should have 4,000
units.
"In my view, it is extremely safe," he
added.
Chief medical officer Professor Dame
Sally Davies said the Government would be reviewing the issue.
She said: "We know a significant
proportion of people in the UK probably have inadequate levels
of vitamin D in their blood.
"People at risk of
vitamin D deficiency, including pregnant women and children
under five, are already advised to take daily supplements.
"Our experts are clear - low levels of
vitamin D can increase the risk of
poor bone health, including rickets in young children.
"Many health professionals such as
midwives, GPs and nurses give advice on supplements, and it is
crucial they continue to offer this advice as part of routine
consultations and ensure disadvantaged families have access to
free vitamin supplements through our Healthy Start scheme.
"It is important to raise awareness of
this issue, and I will be contacting health professionals on the
need to prescribe and recommend vitamin D supplements to at-risk
groups.
"The Department of Health has also
asked the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition to review
the important issue of current dietary recommendations on
vitamin D."
