Many people from ethnic minorities in the UK are severely deficient in vitamin D, a study reveals.
More than half of Asians are severely deficient in winter and more than a third of black Africans suffer an alarmingly high lack of the vitamin.
Vitamin D has divided scientific opinion during the pandemic, with a plethora of studies finding it can fight coronavirus and others claiming it is of no benefit.
But Australian researchers reviewed half a million British genomes from the UK BioBank and say because it is cheap, easy to access and has no negative side-effects, people should consider supplementing their diet with the sunshine vitamin regardless.
Not enough evidence for use of vitamin D in prevention or treatment of COVID-19, NICE rapid guidance concludes pharmaceutical-journal.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from pharmaceutical-journal.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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IMAGE: Over 50% of Asians living in the UK are severely deficient in vitamin D, leaving them more vulnerable to respiratory infections such as COVID-19. view more
Credit: University of South Australia
Over 50 per cent of Asians living in the UK are severely deficient in vitamin D, leaving them more vulnerable to respiratory infections such as COVID-19 and musculoskeletal disorders, according to a large-scale population study published this week.
The journal
Clinical Nutrition also reports that more than a third of Black Africans living in Britain have high levels of vitamin D deficiency, and lower socio-economic groups are more at risk.
Date Time
‘Alarmingly high’ vitamin D deficiency in United Kingdom
Asians living in the UK have the highest vitamin D deficiency rates of any cultural group.
Over 50 per cent of Asians living in the UK are severely deficient in vitamin D, leaving them more vulnerable to respiratory infections such as COVID-19 and musculoskeletal disorders, according to a large-scale population study published this week.
The journal Clinical Nutrition also reports that more than a third of Black Africans living in Britain have high levels of vitamin D deficiency, and lower socio-economic groups are more at risk.
Led by the Australian Centre for Precision Health, University of South Australia, using data from 440,581 UK Biobank participants, the study strengthens calls for a mandatory vitamin D fortification program in the United Kingdom.