Vitamin D workshop- Rank - UK- 2009

Created December 2010

Proceedings of the Rank Forum on Vitamin D.

Br J Nutr. 2010 Dec 7:1-13.

Lanham-New SA, Buttriss JL, Miles LM, Ashwell M, Berry JL, Boucher BJ, Cashman KD, Cooper C, Darling AL, Francis RM, Fraser WD, de Groot CP, Hyppönen E, Kiely M, Lamberg-Allardt C, Macdonald HM, Martineau AR, Masud T, Mavroeidi A, Nowson C, Prentice A, Stone EM, Reddy S, Vieth R, Williams CM.

Nutritional Sciences Division, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK.

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.

PMID: 21134331

Forum July 2009, published Dec 2010

[tiki-download_file.php?fileId=1611]

Percent of UK population below 10 ng/ml

Notice the dark skin column at far right

Vitamin D RDA around the world

Workshop attendees

S. A. L.-N., University of Surrey (Co-Chair)

J. L. B., British Nutrition Foundation (Co-Chair)

C. M. W., Rank Prize Funds Committee (Rank Chair)

Dr Khulood Alayha, Kuwait College, Kuwait

M. A. OBE, Ashwell Associates, Hertfordshire (Speaker)

J. L. B., University of Manchester (Co-Speaker)

B. J. B., Queen Mary University of London (Speaker)

K. D. C., University College Cork, Ireland (Speaker)

Dr Jane Coad, Massey University, New Zealand

Professor Robert D Cohen, University of London

A. L. D., University of Surrey (Speaker)

R. M. F., Newcastle University (Speaker)

W. D. F., University of Liverpool (Speaker)

Dr Oliver Gillie, Health Research Forum, London

Dr Gail Goldberg, MRC-Human Nutrition Research, Cambridge

Mrs Ohood Hakim, King Abdula-Aziz University, Saudi Arabia

Dr Tom Hill, University of Cork, Ireland

Dr Chris Holroyd, University of Southampton (representing

C. C., not presented but provided data)

C. P. G. M. G. (University of Wageningen) (not presented but provided data)

Dr Anne de la Hunty, Ashwell Associates, Hertfordshire

E. H., Institute of Child Health, London (Speaker)

M. K., University College Cork, Ireland (Speaker)

C. L.-A., University of Helsinki, Finland (Speaker)

Dr Nicola Lowe, University of Central Lancashire

H. M. M., University of Aberdeen (Speaker)

Ms Rachel Marklew, Department of Health

A. R. M., Queen Maryâ€™s University of London (Speaker)

A. M., University of Aberdeen (Co-Speaker)

L. M. Miles, British Nutrition Foundation (Rapporteur) Professor Joe Millward, University of Surrey

Ms Judy Moore, Independent Dietitian, London

Dr Zulf Mughal, University of Manchester

T. M., University of Nottingham (not presented but provided data)

C. N., University of Deakin, Australia (Speaker)

Dr Jaana Nurmi-Lawton, University Hospital, Finland

A. P. OBE, MRC-Human Nutrition Research, Cambridge (Speaker)

Professor Margaret Rayman, University of Surrey

S. R., Department of Health (Co-Speaker)

Dr Inez Schoenmakers, MRC-Human Nutrition Research, Cambridge

E. M. S., FSA (Speaker)

R. V., University of Toronto, Canada (Speaker)

Dr Kate Ward, MRC-Human Nutrition Research, Cambridge.