Study of 30,000 Victorians reveals 40% have low vitamin D levels

Veronica Voo is first author on the paper;
she is Dr Mastura Monif's PhD student.

by Tania Ewing

A study of 30,000 Victorians reveals 40% have low vitamin D levels, with serious health consequences.

Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to poor health consequences – from weaker bones to common conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as certain cancers.  In recent years a large body of literature has found links between vitamin D deficiency and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).

Now, a landmark study of vitamin D levels in over 30,000 Victorians attending a large Melbourne hospital between 2014 and 2017 found that only 40% of patients had levels of vitamin D that are adequate for good health. Importantly, two-thirds of men failed to have sufficient vitamin D levels.