UK lacks knowledge on vitamin D

The YouGov poll of more than 2,000 adults – commissioned by the National Osteoporosis Society – revealed that only 35% know that vitamin D is essential for healthy bones.

Almost a quarter of those surveyed said they did not know why we need vitamin D, and only 6% correctly identified that going outside - without sunscreen - is the best way to obtain the ‘sunshine’ vitamin.

Susan Lanham-New, nutritional advisor to the National Osteoporosis Society, said people only needed a short amount of time in the sun without sunscreen to produce vitamin D, but warned they should always cover up before they start to burn.

‘We recommend that between May and September people in the UK should get out in the sun for ten minutes, once or twice a day, without sunscreen, which blocks the process of vitamin D production,’ she said.

‘The human body is very efficient at producing vitamin D so you should have produced enough long before you start to burn. Lying on the beach for two weeks, however, will not top up levels for the rest of the year and may risk skin cancer,’ she warned.

The National Osteoporosis Society has today launched its second annual Sunlight Campaign to raise awareness of the importance of sunlight in helping to improve bone health.

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