A new Â鶹ֱ²¥ study has found 95 per cent of Australians have low vitamin D intakes, with researchers recommending food sources such as oily fish and eggs.<\/p>\n
The study, published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics<\/em>, used new information on the vitamin D content of foods, produced by the research team, and dietary intake data collected from more than 12,000 Australians in the 2011-2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey.<\/p>\n Lead researcher dietitian and PhD student Eleanor Dunlop, from the Curtin School of Population Health, said the study suggests that Australians need data-driven nutrition policy to safely increase their intakes of vitamin D.<\/p>\n \u201cMost Australians consume less than half of international recommendations for vitamin D (10 \u00b5g\/day). We can produce vitamin D through sun exposure, but we know that being SunSmart\u00ae<\/sup> is vital in Australia to reduce the risk of skin damage and skin cancer,\u201d Ms Dunlop said.<\/p>\n \u201cVitamin D deficiency increases the risk of poor bone health. Since nearly one in four adults are vitamin D deficient in Australia, carefully considered food-based strategies may safely increase intakes of vitamin D and improve vitamin D status in the Australian population.<\/p>\n \u201cAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in remote areas are particularly at risk of vitamin D deficiency, as well as people born outside of Australia or the main English-speaking countries. People residing in southern states of Australia, and people who are obese or have low physical activity levels, are also at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n Senior author Associate Professor Lucinda Black, also from the Curtin School of Population Health, said that vitamin D intakes were lowest in younger people, with women more likely to have lower intakes than men.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can be difficult to consume enough vitamin D as few foods are rich in vitamin D. Oily fish is the best food source of vitamin D, with two serves a week recommended. Other foods such as eggs and meat contain small amounts, but we don\u2019t find vitamin D in fruits, vegetables or grain-based products, like bread or rice.\u201d Associate Professor Black said.<\/p>\n Ms Dunlop and Associate Professor Black have recently compiled Australia\u2019s first comprehensive database of vitamin D in foods.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time we have had an estimate of usual vitamin D intakes in Australia that is based on comprehensive food composition data for the Australian population,\u201d Associate Professor Black said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe new data on the vitamin D content of foods have been adopted by Food Standards Australia New Zealand\u00a0for inclusion in the Australian Food Composition Database.\u201d<\/p>\n This research was supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.<\/p>\n Ms Dunlop is currently undertaking a PhD supported by scholarships from the Australian Government Research Training Program and Graduate Women of Western Australia. Associate Professor Lucinda Black is supported by MS Western Australia (MSWA), a Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia Postdoctoral Fellowship and a Â鶹ֱ²¥ Research Fellowship.<\/p>\n