Summer Sun Fails to Fix Vitamin D in At-Risk Groups
Get the Health newsletter
Daily health & science — research, biotech, public health, the studies worth knowing. Free.
- Newcastle University researchers analyzed vitamin D levels in nearly 300 people across northern Britain, finding insufficiency was common year-round in adults aged 65 and older and people from minoritized ethnic backgrounds.
- More than half of older adults in the study had insufficient vitamin D, and the proportion was even higher among participants from minoritized ethnic backgrounds.
- Summer sunshine did not significantly raise vitamin D levels in either group, directly challenging the widely held belief that seasonal sun exposure is enough to restore healthy levels.
- Professor Bernard Corfe of Newcastle's Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre said the findings show sunlight alone may not be enough for higher-risk groups, calling for consistent, year-round ways to support healthy vitamin D levels.
- The study, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, recommends clearer public health guidance, brief vitamin D assessments during GP appointments, and supplementation when appropriate.
- Researchers say the next stage of the project will explore personalized and culturally appropriate strategies, including tailored dietary recommendations and healthcare approaches for different communities.
- Funder Better You Ltd, a UK-based supplement manufacturer, had no role in designing, conducting, or interpreting the research, which was carried out independently by Newcastle University.
Why it matters: For higher-risk groups in northern Britain — adults 65+ and minoritized ethnic communities — the finding that vitamin D insufficiency persists even through summer months means reliance on seasonal sunshine is not a viable public health strategy. The study's authors are now pushing for year-round approaches including routine GP screening and targeted supplementation for these populations.
Ask SkimNews
