The scoop on vitamin D: Sources for every season
Description: The scoop on vitamin D: Sources for every season
Vitamin D can be obtained by consuming certain types of foods and supplements, and is the only nutrient that can be synthesized by the body when exposed to sunlight.
Vitamin D deficiencyNote 1 is associated with decreased bone mineral content and a higher risk of rickets in children and adolescents, as well as an increased risk of osteomalacia in young and middle-aged adults, and of fractures in older adults.
In Canada, the risk of vitamin D deficiency is more than double during the winter months.
Who is at risk of vitamin D deficiency?
April 1 to October 31
5%
November 1 to March 31
13%
- Roughly 1 in 10 Canadians between the ages of 14 and 50
- Men (10%) more than women (7%)
- Roughly 1 in 5 Canadians with Black, East and Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern or South Asian ancestry
Regular consumption of foods and beverages that contain vitamin D helps maintain adequate vitamin D levels.
| Behaviour | Increased likelihood of having enough vitamin D, adults 19 years and older |
|---|---|
| Taking supplements | +4.22 |
| Drinking fortified plant-based beverages daily | +2.39 |
| Eating fish weekly | +1.98 |
| Drinking cow’s milk daily | +1.89 |
| Eating margarine daily | +1.67 |
Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Health Measures Survey, 2012 to 2019; Weiler, H. A. et al., 2023, “Vitamin D Status of People 3 to 79 Years of Age from the Canadian Health Measures Survey 2012-2019,” The Journal of Nutrition, 153: 1150-1161.
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