The Royal College of
Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) says up to 25% of UK children are vitamin
D deficient, leading to a rise in rickets cases.
In the BBC's Scrubbing
Up column, the college's Prof Mitch Blair called for concerted action to tackle
the problem.
The government said
those with the greatest need already received free supplements.
The RCPCH said other
options to increase vitamin D levels, such as fortifying a wider range of
foods, should be considered.
Half of the UK's white
population, and up to 90% of the black and Asian people in the country are
thought to be affected by vitamin D deficiency.
The first signs of
deficiency include muscle and bone pain as well as swelling around the wrists
and ribs.
A lack of the nutrient
is linked to a higher incidence of diabetes, tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis
as well as rickets - a disease that causes bones to become soft and deformed.
In January this year,
the chief medical officer for England, Dame Sally Davies, recommended all
pregnant and breastfeeding women, children aged six months to five-years-old
and the over-65s should take vitamin D supplements.
'Short supply'
Writing in Scrubbing Up,
Prof Blair said: "Vitamin D can be found in some foods such as oily fish,
eggs and mushrooms - but only 10% of a person's recommended daily amount is
found naturally in food.
"Put bluntly,
eating more fish and getting out in the sun a bit more won't make much of a
difference to your vitamin D levels."
The RCPCH is also
calling for a public awareness campaign to raise awareness of the warning signs
of vitamin D deficiency and how to prevent it, and more research into the link
between vitamin D deficiency and bone disease.
It says this is needed
to help investigations into bone injuries in children.
Prof Blair added:
"The government's Healthy Start programme provides vitamins free to low
income families and 'at risk' groups.
"But these vitamins
appear to be in short supply and uptake is low. Ensuring people are aware
they're available is crucial."
The college is to
produce leaflets in a bid to raise awareness of vitamin D deficiency among the
profession.
In addition, the
Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is looking into proposals for
further fortification of food and drink, as happens in countries including the
US, Canada and Finland.
'Best placed'
Prof Nicholas Clarke,
consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Southampton General Hospital, said who has
been warning of the dangers of vitamin D deficiency since 2010, said: "I
strongly support the use of supplements and widespread fortification of
foods."
Dame Sally said doctors
and other health professionals were "best placed" to give advice on
vitamin D.
She added: "The
Department of Health has also made sure vitamin D supplements are available
free to pregnant women and young children from low income families through our
Healthy Start scheme.
"Local NHS
organisations must make sure those eligible for Healthy Start get the
supplements they're entitled to, and the department continues to work closely
with the NHS on this."
Graham
3 comments:
Education and awareness is the key here.
I have read before that rickets is on the rise. It is important that all eat well and excercise too. I don't think children today spend so much time outside as previous generations perhaps did.
It is good that vit D supplements are made available to those in the 'at risk' groups but I wonder how many parents and people in general are not aware of the advice given for Vit D.
LB
I think during the winter months Vit D supplements to some is even more important.
As LB said, it is good that vit D supplements are made available to those in the 'at risk' groups but I wonder how many parents and people in general are not aware of the advice given for Vit D.
Perhaps more needs to be done to highlight the need for Vit D.
Annie J
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