‘Alarming’ rates of Vitamin D deficiencies show up in study of Greater Dublin area
By Brendan Grehan
PEOPLE LIVING in Lucan are up to four times more deficient in Vitamin D than other parts of the greater Dublin area, a new study has shown.
The research was carried out by Trinity College Dublin and St James’s Hospital using a combination of geo-mapping and data from more than 5,200 people in 2015.
Published yesterday, the research also shows younger pevple have “considerably” lower levels of the vitamin than those aged over 50 and women had “significantly” higher levels than men.
It is the first time that a visual map of the Vitamin D status for people living in the greater Dublin area has been developed.
It showed one in eight of the population of greater Dublin and Co Kildare were found to be Vitamin D deficient with an overall Vitamin D deficiency of 15.2 per cent during winter and 10.8 per cent in the summer.
According to the study, the months of October to February are defined as winter and March to September are summer.
The report said the rates of inadequate Vitamin D were “alarming” due to the growing number of chronic health conditions associated with deficiency of the vitamin such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Severe Vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets in children and osteomalacia, or softening of the bones, in adults.
Dublin 8, which includes Inchicore, Kilmainham, Portobello, Rialto, Islandbridge and South Circular Road, had the highest level of Vitamin D deficiency with the number of people deficient significantly higher at 26.8 per cent than the average (of 15.2 per cent).
Lucan came in second place with 21.7 per cent of residents deficient in the Vitamin.
Dublin 20, which includes areas such as Palmerstown and Chapelizod, was third highest with 20.7 per cent of the population deficient in the Vitamin during winter.
In Dublin 16, which includes areas such as Ballinteer, Ballyboden, Dundrum, Rathfarnham and Churchtown, the deficiency rate was 7.8 per cent in the winter.
Dr Eamon Laird from Trinity College Dublin, one of the authors of the study, said there were a number of possible reasons for the differences between areas in Dublin.
He said:”Other studies have shown an association between social deprivation and lower Vitamin D, possibly due to diet as Vitamin D-rich foods such as oily fish or fortified foods tend to be more expensive.”
Dr Laird said that these locations in Dublin are more ethnically diverse compared to other areas, with higher numbers of non-Caucasians. He said that increased skin pigmentation plus ethnic lifestyle choices such as traditional clothing and/or dietary habits can also increase the risk of deficiency.”
The report highlighted that men had an average of 23-27 per cent lower levels of Vitamin D than women at some city locations. One of the reasons for this is that women were much more likely to visit their GP than men.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) advises the best source of Vitamin D is summer sunlight, but for people to take care and not let their skin turn red or get burnt.
It said foods such as oily fish, eggs and fortified breakfast cereals are a good source of the vitamin.
