Vitamin D deficiency is hollowing out the bones of the youth population. It is a silent epidemic that is causing serious damage to immunity, mental health and bone health and continuously increasing. While proper efforts have not been made by the government yet.
My mother’s bones have become weak. Walking on a stick, they barely deal with their routine. The confidence of the mother, who holds her household with her skills and spirits, is constantly falling into a brittle with her bones. The effect of which can be felt with increasing irritability in their nature. Doctors have identified Vitamin D deficiency in them, which is now difficult to recover. It is better not to allow this level to fall further. For this, they have been advised to change their diet and supplements. Vitamin D deficiency is growing like a silent pendemic in India. Which has deeply affected the physical activity, mental health and confidence of an entire generation. This epidemic does not reach the coming generations to ensure that there will be continuous efforts in totality.
ICRIER for research on International Economic Relations and ANVKA Foundation conducted extensive research on this. In which the current situation and reasons have been investigated.
What does ICRER and Vitamin D Definacy Report of ICRER and Anvka Foundation
Pro. The report, prepared with the common effort of Arpita Mukherjee, Dr. Ashish Chaudhary, Latika Khatwani, Trishali Khanna and Pallavi Verma, has been investigated in -depths the causes of vitamin d deficiency in India. Research has found that every fifth Indian is a victim of vitamin D deficiency. It includes children, elderly, youth. But women are the most victims of this.
Among them, vitamin D deficiency level is high among urban women as compared to rural women. The situation in eastern India is even more dangerous, where 39 percent of people are struggling with vitamin D deficiency. These are the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, where the average skin color is darker.
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Harvard Health report An important cause of the 6 causes of vitamin D deficiency is also the skin color. Darker skin that has high melanin high, they need to live in a longer sunlight than a light colored skin for the process of vitamin D construction. However, it is not only skin function, but liver and kidney also play an important role in it. Therefore, the importance of diet also cannot be ignored.
Why Vitamin D deficiency is increasing among Indians (causes of vitamin D deficiency)
1 Not in the sun and pollution
In the changing lifestyle, most of the time people are spent inside the buildings. Whether it is home or office. Along with this, the layer of pollution also does not allow the sun’s rays to reach properly. Which affects both vitamin D absorption time and quality.
2 catering habits
Apart from sunlight, vitamin D is all other sources like fish, eggs etc. animal products. Whose vegetarian people do not consume. The availability and prices of fortified milk and mushrooms, which can be consumed by vegetarian people, are away from the reach of the common man.
3 skin color
People whose skin is deep has to spend more time in the sun so that the body can make vitamin D. Whereas on social level, people with wheat skin also protect their skin from going to the sun from the social level.
4 obesity
You will be surprised to know, but it is true. Vitamin D production is less in the body of obese people than slim people. Slow metabolism is also responsible for this. They naturally lack this essential vitamin. Therefore, to increase the absorption of vitamin D, there is also a need to keep the body fit and protect against other diseases.
Lack of 5 policies
A large population of the country is still struggling with lack of nutrients. Vitamin D is also ignored in the mid-day meal given to children in schools. Inflation is one of the reasons for this, apart from this, the tax imposed on essential things is also responsible for this. Vitamin D supplements have 18 % GST, which makes it more expensive.
No clear policy has been made so far to deal with this deficiency, which is hollowing out the youth population of the country. While efforts have been made for iodine and iron.
Sunshine Vitamin vs Sun Protection Market
The main source of vitamin D is sunlight. Therefore it is also called Sunshine Vitamin in English. There is a lot of sunlight in India 9 months of the year. Whereas in the months from April to July, it is so much that special efforts have to be made to rescue. Prof. Arpita Mukherjee, the leading writer of the research, says, “The sun is not less, but the hesitant towards the sun has increased more among the people. Getting up early in the morning from lifestyle and spending time in the morning sun is almost extinct.”
She further says, “Especially women do not want to live in the sun and do not even live. They do not have time for themselves. They either work inside the houses or in the offices. It seems necessary to cover the mouth.”
Avoiding sunlight has become a habit. Sun’s ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer, this fear has gone home well in people’s hearts. Due to which urban women are using sunscreen and sunprolation to protect themselves. Most health research denies that people are using sunscreen regularly. But the rising market of sunscreen has been very hopeful for the coming years.
Statistics published on Blueviv ConsultingDotcom show that The sunscreen market in India in 2023 was an estimated US $ 879.12 million. It is expected to reach US $ 1,256.76 million by 2030, estimating the increase of compound annual growth rate of 7.15%.
There is a fear of ultraviolet rays and its side effects behind this bounce in the sunscreen market. The market has explained well that these ultra voices can scorch their skin, make them older and also increase the risk of skin cancer. Therefore, people are using these sun protection products in the form of lotions, creams, gel and sticks.
Do Indians really need to save their skin? (Does Applying Sunscreen is really essential)
Dr. Mahima Aggarwal, a dermatologist at Fortis Hospital, Shalibar Bagh, says, “Indian skin comes between 3 to 5 to 5 on fitzpatrick scale. The skin is lightly brightly bright in the skin. It is due to the melanin present in it.
Dr. Mahima further adds, “I have not seen a single patient of skin cancer in India in so many years of my practice. Which is a serious problem in outside countries. It means that we have neither fear of scorching skin nor melanoma skin cancer i.e. skin cancer. If we spend more time in the sun, our skin will not be tanned.
The report of Harvard Health states that the frequent use of sunscreen and sun protection slows down the process of vitamin D and the process of vitamin D construction. Due to which there may be deficiency of vitamin D in the body.
What happens when the level of vitamin D starts decreasing in the body? (Vitamin d deficiency health hazards)
Dr. Ashish Chaudhary, managing director of Akash Healthcare and co-writer of research, says, “Sunshine vitamin deficiency not only causes bones to weaken, but it also affects the main health and immunity. Which leads to increasing risk of many more serious diseases. Vitamin Dfisian has the highest hunt. While it can cause rickets in children.
There are more challenges to Eradicate Vitamin D Deficiency
Signs of vitamin D deficiency are similar to signs of iron and calcium deficiency. Therefore, it cannot be detected only on the basis of signs. Test has to be done to detect vitamin D deficiency. The price of which is generally Rs 1500. Unfortunately, it is neither covered in any health insurance nor is it available in public hospitals. Due to which its identity, diagnosis and solution remain ignorant.
Vitamin D solution can be on the path of iodine (Rodemap to Combat Vitamin D Defill
Realizing the reasons and challenges, if the government makes strict policies on it, then this deficiency can be dealt with. Iodine is an example of this. As of 1990, there were more cases of Galgand and Gandamala diseases due to iodine deficiency in India. To overcome this deficiency, salt was made iodine -rich. If the central government wants, then by making policies, vitamin D can be transported from door to door on the path of iodine.
Although it is fat soluble vitamin. Therefore, it needs to be fortified in milk, oil and ghee. Based on his experiences, ICRIRER director and CEO Deepak Mishra says, “India will have to add vitamin D in the same things like iodine -containing salt. Also, as well as iodized salt was distributed to ration shops in the beginning, the needy will also have to give subsidy for vitamin D”.
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