Study to decide whether vitamin D should be added to food

[cheryl]

Study to decide whether vitamin D should be added to food - The Guardian​

One in six adults have low levels of the vitamin, a lack of which can lead to rickets and bone pain

An official review is to examine whether food and drink can be fortified with vitamin D to close health inequalities, Sajid Javid has announced.

Officials said that the study was being launched following evidence that around one in six adults in the UK has low levels of vitamin D, a deficiency that can lead to conditions such as rickets, disabilities and bone pain. The greater use of supplements will also be examined, with Javid calling on experts and patient groups to come forward with evidence.

Almost 20% of children in the UK have vitamin D levels lower than government recommendations. Health officials said that older people, the housebound and people from Black and South Asian communities are also more likely to have lower levels. The new call for evidence is being launched by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and comes ahead of broader proposals for closing health disparities to be published later this year.