Global vitamin D map launched

The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has launched an interactive global map of vitamin D status, which presents a snapshot of vitamin D levels worldwide. The map and accompanying publication[1] confirm that vitamin D insufficiency is a major public health issue in both the developing and industrialized world, with more than one third of all the populations studied, showing insufficient levels of vitamin D[2]. 

DSM, which contributed to developing the data and the map, strongly supports IOF’s call for healthcare decision makers to take immediate action to address vitamin D insufficiency as a priority public policy issue, and emphasize the role of supplementation as a key tool for addressing this problem. 

Key findings include:

·         Overall, insufficient vitamin D levels were detected in more than one-third of the study population[3]

·         Vitamin D insufficiency affects both the developing world and industrialized world

·         The main source of vitamin D is sunlight, but even in sunny countries, vitamin D levels are generally low and below recommended levels (taking India as example: a sunny country; yet, with  low vitamin D status)

·         Rates of vitamin D insufficiency are higher amongst women than men

·         It is estimated that 50 -70 % of the European adult population have insufficient levels of vitamin D

·   &nbsOriginals