Bahrain is considering adding vitamin D supplements to flour to help tackle alarming deficiency levels in the general population.

Vitamin D is mainly produced in the skin upon exposure to sunlight, but extreme temperatures and cultural factors mean that despite Bahrain's clear blue skies many people are not getting enough sun, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

As a result health authorities are looking into fortifying bread with vitamin D, which is important in maintaining calcium levels, organ systems, bone mineralisation and growth.

"Prevention strategies that we are aiming for must be initiated at the national level," Health Ministry public health directorate nutrition section head Dr Nadia Gharib told the GDN.

"We are considering the fortification of bread with vitamin D. It's a priority at the moment.

"Since right amounts of vitamin D consumption are not guaranteed (in Bahrain), the intervention programme should focus on ensuring people's intake of recommended amounts of vitamin D.

"This could be accomplished by simply adding the appropriate concentration of vitamin D to the main staple food, which in our case was found to be flour.

"However, I would like to stress that this intervention project is still under study.

"We have touched on the idea with the Bahrain Flour Mill Company, but we would also need to co-ordinate with other related sectors, including the Industry and Commerce Ministry."

Health Ministry studies into vitamin D deficiency in Bahrain have produced worrying results.

One conducted in co-ordination with the maternity department and Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) medical lab studied 40 pregnant women.

"We found that 94 per cent had mild deficiency of vitamin D," revealed Dr Gharib.

"In a separate study, Dr Fadheelah Almahroos and SMC gynaecologists took a sample of 403 families and studied their vitamin D prevalence and other related factors.

"They found that 90 per cent of newborns, 80 per cent of pregnant women and 60 per cent of adult males were suffering from mild prevalence of vitamin D deficiency."

The study focused on pregnant women because it was carried out on expectant mothers and their families, but non-pregnant women in Bahrain are assumed to be suffering the same levels of vitamin D deficiency.

Dr Gharib explained the reasons varied, but women and those with darker skin tones were more at risk from vitamin D deficiency than others.

Cultural factors such as women covering up when they go outside are a factor, while the extremely hot summer climate combined with a more sedentary lifestyle means people spend more time indoors.

"Reasons for higher levels of vitamin D deficiency include an increase in urbanisation, cultural practices of wearing of traditional clothing that covers the skin as well as other factors," said Dr Gharib.

"Other risk factors include older age, lower latitudes, winter season, darker skin pigmentation, low sunlight exposure, dietary habits, and the absence of vitamin D fortification in common foods."

She warned the health risks from not getting enough vitamin D were serious.

"It may lead to increased risk of osteoporosis and hip fracture and, in severe cases, to development of rickets - a softening of the bones in children that can lead to skeletal fractures and deformity," said Dr Gharib.

"It also increases the risk of cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease."

People who take steps to avoid the sunlight, for example to protect their skin, can take supplements or eat certain foods to maintain their vitamin D levels.

"For most people, however, adequate vitamin D levels are reached through regular daily activity and a little bit of exposure to the sun during peak UV periods, when the sun is hottest," said Dr Gharib.

The foods that can boost vitamin D levels include fresh fish such as hamour, safi and salmon; tuna fish canned in water and sardines canned in oil; orange juice; milk and yoghurt fortified with vitamin D; margarine; cheese; eggs; liver; beef; and cereal fortified with 10 per cent vitamin D, she added. - TradeArabia News Service