National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
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Millions of people at risk of low vitamin D need better access to supplements to protect health, says NICE

People who are at risk of low vitamin D should be given better access to supplements to protect their health, recommends new guidance from NICE. Around 1 in 5 adults, and around 1 in 6 children, may have low vitamin D status – an estimated 10 million people across England.

A lack of vitamin D can ultimately lead to rickets in children and weaker bones in adults, which causes pain. The new NICE public health guideline focuses on effective ways to increase vitamin D supplement use to prevent deficiency among people who are at risk. The guideline recommends that better supplement availability, more awareness of low vitamin D status and consistent information on who is most at risk are all essential in tackling the problem.

The main natural source of vitamin D is through the action of sunlight on the skin, but in the UK from mid-October to the start of April, sunlight doesn’t have the correct wavelength to create vitamin D in the skin. Many people are not aware that the sources of vitamin D available from food are limited. This means that people who are at risk of low vitamin D status may need dietary supplements. 

Some groups of people are already advised to take a supplement, but information and support isn’t always reaching the groups at risk.  People with darker skin, such as people from African, Caribbean and Asian backgrounds, are at risk of having low vitamin D levels – because their skin also doesn’t make vitamin D very well following exposure to sunlight.  Other people at risk of vitamin D deficiency are pregnant women, children, older adults, and people who don’t get much sun exposure – such as those who live in care homes, or who may cover their skin for cultural reasons.

Click here for full press release

 

Channel website: https://www.nice.org.uk/

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