Where you live in Dublin may affect level of vitamin D in your system – study

By | September 8, 2020

THE level of vitamin D Dubliners have in their system varies largely depending on the part of the city that they live in, research has found.

study, published in the journal Nutrients, using a tool known as geo-mapping allowed researchers to create a visual map of vitamin D levels across Dublin and east Leinster.

It found large variations in vitamin D status between adults of different ages and in different locations.

Levels of the vitamin were lowest in the winter, with those living in inner city Dublin and west Dublin having the highest rates of deficiency year round.

One in six Irish adults in the Dublin population and surrounds were vitamin D deficient, rising to one in four in the winter.

The research was carried out by Mercer’s Institute for Successful Ageing (MISA) and Trinity College Dublin.

Researchers noted that socioeconomic status is a factor, with those in typically disadvantaged areas having an increased risk of deficiency.

This may be due to factors linked to lower socioeconomic status including reduced dietary vitamin D intake, less sunny holiday travel and possibly higher rates of obesity and smoking.

However the study showed vitamin D deficiency is a problem for everyone.

Surprisingly, according to the authors, the youngest participants in the cohort, those aged 18 to 39, had the lowest vitamin D levels as did those in the ‘older’ category of those ages more than 80.

One reason why younger adults may be deficient is that they may spend more time indoors, such as in their working environment.

They found in general men had much lower levels than women.

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Some areas such as south Dublin and north Kildare showed lower levels of vitamin D deficiency compared to north Dublin and west Dublin and there were also big differences between postcodes of close proximity.

The prevalence of deficiency was also high in participants located in some counties within and outside Leinster.

Vitamin D is important as it contributes to the maintenance of bone and muscle health and helps support a healthy immune system.

Dr Kevin McCarroll, study co-author and clinical senior lecturer and consultant physician at St James’s Hospital, said the study highlighted how vitamin D deficiency is relatively common and affects all age groups .

“The striking differences in the prevalence of deficiency within Dublin and other areas is likely due to factors such as dietary vitamin D intake, supplement use, sun exposure and also ethnicity affecting the skin’s capacity to make vitamin D from sunshine. “Increasing vitamin D intake in the winter when deficiency is prevalent is a good idea for many people,” he said.

The study was part funded by dairy company Avonmore.

Online Editors

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