Go out in the sun, urges doctor after study finds most Thais deficient in Vitamin D

Doctor Rojanaree Thitisuwan, manager of Vejthani Hospital’s checkup centre, said up to 99% of people who had undergone blood tests to check their vitamin levels were found to be lacking in Vitamin D.

She did not provide the number of people tested or the timeframe of the test.

The doctor said most of those found lacking Vitamin D either worked indoors or stayed out of the sun to avoid getting tanned.

The information from Rojanaree confirmed a recent article from Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine.

The article published recently said that the level of Vitamin D among city residents was far lower than say farmers in the Northeast.

The article also said that the level of Vitamin D among young people was far lower than among older people. This is because younger people stayed indoors and rarely exercised outdoors, which made them deficient in Vitamin D.

This article was based on a study conducted by the

Mahidol Nutrition Institute among 12-year-olds and younger.

The institute studied 3,100 children in Bangkok, Lopburi, Chiang Mai, Phang Nga, Si Sa Ket and Kalasin 10 years ago and conducted a similar study this year.

The institute compared the two studies and surmised that the ratio of Thai children lacking Vitamin D was 40% higher than 10 years ago. A third of the children studied this year were found to be deficient in Vitamin D.

The Mahidol study was part of the Southeast Asia Nutrition Survey covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Mahidol said the findings in Thailand were similar to those in Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia.

A lack of Vitamin D can result in rickets or softening and weakening of bones in children, tooth decay and lack of immunity, the university added.