One in five Britons may be deficient in vitamin D, according to new NHS guidance which says supplements should be given out more freely
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Vitamin D can be found in oily fish, egg yolk, red meat and some fortified foods, but sunlight is its major source Photo: WARREN ALLOTT
Laura Donnelly
By Laura Donnelly, Health Editor
6:33AM BST 13 May 2014
Indoor lifestyles mean one in five Britons may now be deficient in vitamin D, according to new NHS guidance, which suggests free supplements should be given to the elderly and to children.
The guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) says lack of exposure to sunlight is putting large sections of the population of risk of deficiency, which can cause rickets in children and increase the risk of osteoporosis and cancers in adults.
The chief medical officer recently expressed concerned about rising cases of rickets among children who get too little sunshine because they spend too much time indoors on computers and gaming consoles.
The new guidance suggests wider problems across the population, with experts warning that Britain’s indoors lifestyle, especially during the winter months, means that many people do not get sufficient exposure.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/laura-donnelly/10825169/One-in-five-Britons-short-of-vitamin-D.htmlStatistics: Posted by maureenho — 13 May 2014, 09:40
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