VITAMIN D deficiency is a significant problem for a growing proportion of the Pakistan population. The number of cases with vitamin D deficiency is on the rise at an alarming ratio. According to the study 90 per cent of population suffer with insufficiency or deficiency of vitamin D.

The main source of vitamin D is adequate exposure to sunlight, which is freely available. Other dietary sources of vitamin D are fortified foods and vitamin supplements. Since most people in Pakistan do not take advantage of the blazing sunlight, they suffer significantly from Vitamin D deficiency.

This is contributing to diseases like osteoporosis, rickets, heart ailment, stroke, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, depression and infection.

Deficiency of vitamin D during pregnancy not only endangers mother’s life and health but it also affects child’s brain and immune system.

Health authorities at provincial and federal levels should make it mandatory to add vitamin D in food products, especially dairy products, to reduce the ill effects of its shortage in human body. The programme needs to be reinforced through mass awareness by educating people about the importance of vitamin D.

DR S. NAZIR      Karachi