Call for national policy on Vitamin D supplementation

A report from the Food Safety Authority of Ire­land has called for the implementation of a national policy of vitamin D supplementation in all infants up to 12 months of age in Ireland.

The report, Recommend­ations for a National Policy of Vitamin D Supplementation for Infants in Ireland, identified poor Vitamin D supplementation for infants aged up to12 months living in Ireland and said infancy is a crucial period for the prevention of rickets.

Vitamin D supplementation during infancy would ensure health bone development and prevent rickets and would bring Ireland in line with Canada and the UK who have already adopted a policy of Vitamin D supplementation and/or fortification policies to tackle vitamin D inadequacy.

Sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D but Ireland’s northerly latitude means that vitamin D production from sunlight is severly compromised particularly during the winter months of October to March.

Dr Mary Flynn, chief specialist in public health nutrition, FSAI said recent studies show that most people in Ireland are not eating enough of the foods naturally rich in vitamin D or of foods fortified with the vitamin.

“It is evident that low intakes of vitamin D are pre­valent among all age groups throughout Ireland and that the recommended daily in­take of 5µg of vitamin D per day is not being met. It is therefore necessary that all infants aged 0-to-12 months living in Ireland would benefit from vitamin D supplementation,” she said.

She added that the scientific committee suggests that strategies should also be put in place to increase vitamin D intake in different age groups of the population of Ireland.
source:www.irishmedicalnews.ie