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14/12/2012
RCPH Launches Campaign Tackling Vitamin D Deficiency
The RCPCH has today launched its position statement and campaign on tackling vitamin D deficiency.
Widely available and low-cost vitamin D supplements, fortification of foods, greater knowledge amongst healthcare professionals and better public awareness are amongst the steps needed to tackle the growing incidence of vitamin D deficiency amongst the UK population, according to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).
Children's doctors are warning that vitamin D deficiency – thought to affect at least half the UK's white population, up to 90% of the multi-ethnic population and a quarter of children – is resulting in higher incidences of diabetes, tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis and rickets; a bone disease uncommon in the UK since the 19th century. Recent figures suggest a four-fold increase in incidents of rickets over the last 15 years. Vitamin D deficiency is a particular problem amongst children and young people and pregnant women.
Professor Mitch Blair, Officer for Health Promotion at the RCPCH, said: "We know vitamin D deficiency is a growing problem – and localised research reveals startling high levels of vitamin deficiency amongst certain groups including children.
"People can only get a fraction (10%) of their recommended daily amount of vitamin D through food and very little from sunlight. So getting out in the sun more or eating more oily fish isn't going to solve the problem. Lack of vitamin D is related to a plethora of serious illnesses in children and adults that could be prevented through relatively simple steps such as taking supplements."
The RCPCH is today launching a campaign that calls for:
•Vitamin D supplements to be readily available at low-cost and high quality
•Investigation into the pros and cons of further fortification of food with vitamin D
•Professional guidance for healthcare professionals: including standardised guidance on how to diagnose and treat diseases linked to vitamin D deficiency
•A public awareness campaign: clear information for parents and families on the warning signs of vitamin D deficiency and how to prevent it
•Further research into the link between vitamin D deficiency and bone disease: there is currently a dearth of research in this area making high profile child protection cases difficult to resolve
•Better surveillance: to monitor the prevalence and incidence of vitamin D deficiency across the population
(CD)
Widely available and low-cost vitamin D supplements, fortification of foods, greater knowledge amongst healthcare professionals and better public awareness are amongst the steps needed to tackle the growing incidence of vitamin D deficiency amongst the UK population, according to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).
Children's doctors are warning that vitamin D deficiency – thought to affect at least half the UK's white population, up to 90% of the multi-ethnic population and a quarter of children – is resulting in higher incidences of diabetes, tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis and rickets; a bone disease uncommon in the UK since the 19th century. Recent figures suggest a four-fold increase in incidents of rickets over the last 15 years. Vitamin D deficiency is a particular problem amongst children and young people and pregnant women.
Professor Mitch Blair, Officer for Health Promotion at the RCPCH, said: "We know vitamin D deficiency is a growing problem – and localised research reveals startling high levels of vitamin deficiency amongst certain groups including children.
"People can only get a fraction (10%) of their recommended daily amount of vitamin D through food and very little from sunlight. So getting out in the sun more or eating more oily fish isn't going to solve the problem. Lack of vitamin D is related to a plethora of serious illnesses in children and adults that could be prevented through relatively simple steps such as taking supplements."
The RCPCH is today launching a campaign that calls for:
•Vitamin D supplements to be readily available at low-cost and high quality
•Investigation into the pros and cons of further fortification of food with vitamin D
•Professional guidance for healthcare professionals: including standardised guidance on how to diagnose and treat diseases linked to vitamin D deficiency
•A public awareness campaign: clear information for parents and families on the warning signs of vitamin D deficiency and how to prevent it
•Further research into the link between vitamin D deficiency and bone disease: there is currently a dearth of research in this area making high profile child protection cases difficult to resolve
•Better surveillance: to monitor the prevalence and incidence of vitamin D deficiency across the population
(CD)
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