Proceedings of the rank forum on vitamin D

Lanham-New, S.A., Buttriss, J.L., Miles, L.M., Ashwell, M., Berry, J.L, Boucher, B.J., Cashman, K.D., Cooper, C., Darling, A.L., Francis, R.M., Fraser, W.D., de Groot, C.P., Hypponen, E., Kiely, M., Lamberg-Allardt, C., Macdonald, H.M., Martineau, A.R., Masud, T., Mavroeidi, A., Nowson, C., Prentice, A., Stone, E.M., Reddy, S., Vieth, R. and Williams, C.M. (2011) Proceedings of the rank forum on vitamin D. British Journal of Nutrition, 105 (1), 144-156. (doi:10.1017/S0007114510002576). (PMID:21134331)

Abstract

The Rank Forum on Vitamin D was held on 2nd and 3rd July 2009 at the University of Surrey, Guildford, UK. The workshop consisted of a series of scene-setting presentations to address the current issues and challenges concerning vitamin D and health, and included an open discussion focusing on the identification of the concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) (a marker of vitamin D status) that may be regarded as optimal, and the implications this process may have in the setting of future dietary reference values for vitamin D in the UK. The Forum was in agreement with the fact that it is desirable for all of the population to have a serum 25(OH)D concentration above 25 nmol/l, but it discussed some uncertainty about the strength of evidence for the need to aim for substantially higher concentrations (25(OH)D concentrations>75 nmol/l). Any discussion of ‘optimal’ concentration of serum 25(OH)D needs to define ‘optimal’ with care since it is important to consider the normal distribution of requirements and the vitamin D needs for a wide range of outcomes. Current UK reference values concentrate on the requirements of particular subgroups of the population; this differs from the approaches used in other European countries where a wider range of age groups tend to be covered. With the re-emergence of rickets and the public health burden of low vitamin D status being already apparent, there is a need for urgent action from policy makers and risk managers. The Forum highlighted concerns regarding the failure of implementation of existing strategies in the UK for achieving current vitamin D recommendations.

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Contributors

Author: C. Cooper

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