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Vitamin D deficiency in Australia and New Zealand: What are the dietary options?
Author(s) -
SHRAPNEL William,
TRUSWELL Stewart
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
nutrition and dietetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.479
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1747-0080
pISSN - 1446-6368
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-0080.2006.00080.x
Subject(s) - fortification , vitamin , fortified food , food fortification , medicine , vitamin d and neurology , environmental health , dietary reference intake , food science , population , nutrient , biology , endocrinology , ecology
Measurement of serum vitamin D levels in population samples has revealed unexpectedly high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among children, adults, the elderly and other vulnerable groups in Australia and New Zealand. The new Nutrient Reference Values report has established dietary recommendations for vitamin D of between 5 and 15 µg/day, depending on age. Dietary intakes of vitamin D in Australia typically fall in the range of 2–3 µg/day, below intakes in comparable countries. Dietary intake of vitamin D is currently dependent on consumption of a few key foods, notably margarine and oily fish. Current models of healthy eating do not deliver the recommended amounts of vitamin D and need review. Consideration should be given to the range of foods fortified with vitamin D, which is currently limited. Higher dietary intakes of vitamin D in overseas countries have been achieved through the fortification of margarine, milk and breakfast cereals. Increased voluntary fortification of dairy products with vitamin D would be a safe and simple means of increasing vitamin D intakes in Australasia in the short term. The relatively high dietary recommendation for vitamin D for elderly people cannot be met through the existing food supply and supplementation appears to be a desirable option for many.