Dr Louis Levy, Head of Nutrition Science at Public Health England (PHE), said: “A healthy, balanced diet and short bursts of sunshine will mean most people get all the vitamin D they need in spring and summer.
“However, everyone will need to consider taking a supplement in the autumn and winter if you don’t eat enough foods that naturally contain vitamin D or are fortified with it.”
“And those who don’t get out in the sun or always cover their skin when they do, should take a vitamin D supplement throughout the year.”
PHE has advised Brits to take supplements
Rickets was virtually eradicated in the 1950s but cases have more than doubled in the last decade, with 450 children admitted to hospital with the disease each year.
PHE data shows that nearly a quarter of adults in the UK have low levels of vitamin D in their blood
Ethnic minority groups with dark skin have been advised to take vitamin D supplements throughout the year as they may not produce enough through sunlight.
People in institutions who will not receive regular exposure to sunlight have also been advised to take supplements all year.
As well as sunlight, the vitamin is found naturally in a small number of foods including oily fish, red meat, liver and egg yolks and in fortified food like breakfast cereals and fat spreads.
