77% People in India Suffer from Vitamin D Deficiency

According to statistics from recent tests of more than 2.2 lakh people carried out across 27 cities in India by Tata 1mg Labs, about 76% of the Indian population is vitamin D deficient.

In comparison to women, 79% of men were found to have lower-than-optimal amounts of vitamin D in their bodies. Of all the cities from which the data was gathered, Vadodara (89%) and Surat (88%) had the highest and Delhi-NCR the lowest (72%) incidences of vitamin D insufficiency.

An interesting finding from a review of Tata 1mg data was that younger people were significantly more affected by Vitamin D insufficiency than the national average. The age group under 25 years had the highest prevalence (84%), followed by the age range of 25 to 40 years (81%).

All-India data on Vitamin D levels based on analysis of 2.2 lakh samples between March-August 2022:

City-wise incidence of vitamin-D deficiency across 27 cities in India

Vitamin D, also referred to as the "sunshine vitamin," is crucial for human growth, development, metabolism, immunity, bone health, and mental health. Its lack has been linked to diseases like rickets, depression, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and prostate cancer.

Dr. Rajeev Sharma, VP, Medical Affairs, Tata 1mg, stated: "Vitamin D deficient cases have dramatically increased as a result of changing dietary choices and an indoor lifestyle with insufficient exposure to sunlight. The significantly higher prevalence among young adults can possibly be related to their lower intake of foods high in vitamin D, such as oily fish and fortified cereals. However, seasonal fluctuations in sunshine exposure can also be a plausible explanation, particularly in the winter. Pregnancies that are unplanned and unspaced in women with nutritional deficiencies may affect the vitamin D status of both the mother and the foetus.

Vitamin D levels should be routinely examined in patients who are obese, have mal-absorption syndrome, have softening of the bones (osteomalacia), or are receiving therapy for tuberculosis, according to Dr. Prashant Nag, Clinical Head, Tata 1mg Labs. Regular full-body exams, which should be performed at least once a year and every six months, can also evaluate vitamin D levels. The most susceptible groups to a vitamin D deficiency are young children and infants under the age of five, pregnant and nursing women, teenagers and young adults, those over 65, and those who get little sun exposure.

A particular form of cholesterol found in human skin serves as a precursor to vitamin D. It transforms into vitamin D when exposed to UV-B rays from the sun. Vitamin D-rich foods including egg yolks, oily fish, red meat, and fortified meals, as well as getting enough sun exposure, can help prevent the shortage.