The top 10 chronic health problems of children, women, pregnancies, seniors, and darker skins

All 60 of the chronic health problems are prevented/treated by Vitamin D

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Top 10 chronic health problems of CHILDREN

Rank	Chronic Health Condition	Prevalence Rate	Age Group	Key Details
1	Dental Caries (Tooth Decay)	23% - 29%	2-11 years	23% in ages 2-5; 29% in ages 9-11 1 10 19
2	Obesity	12.7% - 20.7%	2-18 years	12.7% (ages 2-5); 20.7% (ages 6-11) 1 6 11
3	Seasonal Allergies	18.9%	0-17 years	Boys are more affected (20%) than girls (17.7%) 14
4	Developmental Delays	16-18%	School-age	Includes various developmental disorders 4
5	ADHD/ADD	11.1% (1 in 9)	5-17 years	Approximately 7 million children diagnosed in 2022 4 12
6	Eczema	10.8%	0-17 years	Highest in ages 6-11 (12.1%) 14
7	Asthma	8.5%	0-18 years	More common in boys (7.0%) than girls (5.4%) 4 16
8	Learning Disabilities	9%	School-age	Affects academic performance and development 4
9	Food Allergies	5.8%	0-17 years	Higher among Black children (7.6%) 14 16
10	Autism Spectrum Disorder	3.2% (1 in 31)	8 years	22% increase since 2020; demographic shift observed 4 13

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Top 10 chronic health problems of WOMEN

Perplexity AI June 2025

Chronic Health Problem	Incidence/Prevalence in Women
Cardiovascular Disease	44% of women (over 60 million women in the US) 1
Depression	10.4% current prevalence; 36.7% lifetime prevalence 2
Breast Cancer	13% lifetime risk; 316,950 new cases projected for 2025 3
Diabetes	13.7% total prevalence (9.7% diagnosed) 4
Rheumatoid Arthritis	Women 3 times more likely than men to develop RA 5
Osteoporosis	19.6% prevalence in women aged 50+ (2017-2018 data) 6
Lupus (Autoimmune Disease)	90% of lupus patients are women; affects 9 out of 10 women vs men 7 8
Asthma/COPD	14.5% asthma prevalence; 42% of women with asthma develop COPD 9
Fibromyalgia	80-96% of fibromyalgia diagnoses are women 10
Migraine	20.7% global prevalence; up to 17% annual prevalence in US women 11 12

Cardiovascular Disease, Depression and Mental Health Disorders, Cancer, Diabetes, Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Autoimmune Diseases, Chronic Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Pain Conditions, Migraine Headaches
 Entire Perplexity report PDF

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Top 10 health problems of WOMEN

Anxiety - Depression	8.7%	1
Type 2 Diabetes	8.0%	2
Dementia	7.4%	3
Ischaemic Heart	6.1%	4
Stroke	3.8%	5
Breast Cancer	3.5%	6
Lung Cancer	3.5%	7
COPD	2.8%	8
Asthma	2.4%	9
Osteoarthritis	2.2%	10

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Top 10 surprise costs of Pregnancy if Vitamin D is low

Pregnancy complication	Avg. extra cost per pregnancy* (US $)	Relative risk reduction at ≥ 40 ng/mL	New cost after vitamin D sufficiency (US $)	Cost saved per pregnancy (US $)
Anemia	900	75% lower risk1	225	675
Miscarriage	1 200	49% lower risk vs. deficient (< 20 ng/mL)23	624	576
Antenatal / Post-partum depression	960	≈60% lower risk when 25(OH)D ≥ 40 ng/mL45	384	576
Pre-term birth / labour	15 750	57% lower risk (RR 0.43) at ≥ 40 ng/mL67	6 773	8 978
Gestational hypertension / pre-eclampsia	1 760	45% lower risk with supplementation raising levels to sufficiency89	968	792
Gestational diabetes	1 050	49% lower risk with adequate vitamin D1011	536	515
Severe haemorrhage / PPH	1 750	78% lower risk in women with ≥ 30–35 ng/mL vs. deficient1213	385	1 365
Maternal infections / sepsis	1 350	60% lower neonatal-sepsis risk when mothers are sufficient1415	540	810
Hyperemesis gravidarum	240	43% lower risk (MR analysis)16	137	103
Placental disorders (abruption/previa)	800	69% lower risk with sufficiency171819	248	552

• “Extra cost per pregnancy” equals prevalence × average treatment cost.

>40 ng helps a lot

• Routine screening and targeted supplementation (2 000–4 000 IU D3/day) can reliably raise most pregnant women to ≥ 40 ng/mL within 8–12 weeks20.
• Because cost savings scale with population size, nationwide optimisation of vitamin D status could translate into multi-billion-dollar annual reductions in US maternity expenditures while simultaneously improving maternal-infant outcomes.

References

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4625596/
2. https://www.grassrootshealth.net/blog/two-new-studies-show-higher-risk-miscarriage-lower-vitamin-d/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35637024/
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7826430/
5. https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/is-there-a-link-between-vitamin-d-deficiency-and-antenatal-depression/
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26554936/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28738090/
8. https://www.preeclampsia.org/the-news/research/can-vitamin-d-during-pregnancy-lower-the-risk-of-preeclampsia-and-preterm-labor
9. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20503121231212093
10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5122001/
11. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2018.00007/full
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13. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.816480/full
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15. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/3/2924
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17. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12192539/
18. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40558220/
19. https://rep.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/rep/153/5/R163.xml
20. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2011/07/vitamin-d-screening-and-supplementation-during-pregnancy
21. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5585545/
22. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10660864/
23. https://foodandnutritionresearch.net/index.php/fnr/article/view/5574
24. https://www.grassrootshealth.net/blog/preterm-birth-statistics-reduced/
25. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261561419330274
26. https://asean-endocrinejournal.org/index.php/JAFES/article/view/839
27. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3895371/
28. https://www.europeanjournalofmidwifery.eu/Vitamin-D-intake-and-preterm-birth-A-systematic-review,172067,0,2.html
29. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-00250-5
30. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0180483
31. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009898122013237
32. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092966462300058X
33. https://www.jci.org/articles/view/91300
34. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1514148/full
35. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10015530/
36. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30669280/
37. https://examine.com/research-feed/study/dEX3q9/
38. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2681636
39. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34969067/
40. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00920621
41. https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1003973
42. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2405457722002492
43. https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1004260
44. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2147/IJWH.S51403
45. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2773815
46. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250203/Early-pregnancy-vitamin-d-deficiency-increases-risk-of-preterm-birth.aspx
47. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2475299123090728
48. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/11/10/1160
49. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261561418300888
50. https://www.ijrcog.org/index.php/ijrcog/article/download/13754/8526/55226
51. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6500822/
52. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37960966/
53. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41387-024-00296-0
54. https://journals.lww.com/jocn/fulltext/2021/10030/25_hydroxy_vitamin_d_deficiency_a_potential_risk.2.aspx
55. https://examine.com/research-feed/study/1wyP49/
56. https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/37/10/2465/6644520
57. https://www.jwatch.org/na32365/2013/09/30/vitamin-d-deficiency-and-risk-sepsis
58. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/lack-of-association-found-between-vitamin-d-and-miscarriage-risk
59. https://www.jcgo.org/index.php/jcgo/article/view/473
60. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028222002588
61. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026156141831197X
62. https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aogs.14719
63. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5023787/
64. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/mbsjohs/issue/79675/1221005
65. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0080686
66. https://www.tjoddergisi.org/articles/do-vitamin-d-and-high-sensitivity-c-reactive-protein-levels-differ-in-patients-with-hyperemesis-gravidarum-a-preliminary-study/doi/tjod.76753
67. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24663685/
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Surprise costs ammortized across healthy pregnancies

calculated as prevalence × average $ per pregnancy for each of the top 10 pregnancy-related health problems:

Average extra cost per pregnancy of the top 10 health problems during pregnancy

• Preterm Birth/Labor clearly emerges as the highest in terms of average extra cost per pregnancy ($15,750), due to both high prevalence and extremely elevated costs associated with neonatal intensive care.
• Gestational Hypertension/Preeclampsia and Hemorrhage/Severe Bleeding follow, with average extra costs of $1,760 and $1,750 per pregnancy, respectively, reflecting both their moderate prevalence and substantial treatment costs.
• Miscarriage, Infections/Sepsis, and Mental Health Conditions also contribute notably, with average extra costs ranging from $960 to $1,350 per pregnancy.
• Gestational Diabetes, Anemia, Placental Problems, and Hyperemesis Gravidarum have more moderate average extra costs per pregnancy, ranging from $240 to $1,050.

This visualization highlights how preterm birth is not only a leading health complication in pregnancy, but also the single greatest cost driver when accounting for both how frequently it occurs and the resources required for management.

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Failed to consider

• Caesarean expensive
• emotional costs, scores of sleepless nights,
• Food allergies associated with low Vitamin D - many studies
• Respiratory infection, children and Vitamin D - many studies
• Increased Cancer during childhood - many studies
• Sudden Infant Deaths (SIDS) soon after vaccination - many studies
• Asthma occurrence rate reduced 3X by Vitamin D – 8 study meta-analysis - Aug 2021
• Overview Autism and vitamin D most of the risk factors are reduced by Vitamin D

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Top 10 chronic health problems of SENIORS

1. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

• Affects 73.7% of women aged 65-74 and 84.1% of women aged 75+ 1
• 71.8% of men aged 65-74 and 83.2% of men aged 75+ have hypertension 1
• The most common chronic condition affecting seniors 2

2. High Cholesterol

• Affects 55.1% of older adults 3
• Second most frequently reported condition among seniors 3
• Closely linked to cardiovascular disease risk 2

3. Arthritis

• Affects 51.3% of older adults 3
• Third most frequently reported condition among seniors 3
• 52% of 85-year-olds had a diagnosis of osteoarthritis in clinical studies 4

4. Obesity

• 38.0% of men aged 60 and older 1
• 39.6% of women aged 60 and older 1
• Affects approximately 42% of adults 60 and older 5

5. Diabetes

• Affects 26% of adults aged 65 and older 6
• 12.1% of all adults have diabetes, with higher rates among seniors 3
• Diabetes prevalence among American older adults may increase by more than 400% by 2050 4

6. Heart Disease

• Affects 6.5% of adults overall, with higher rates among seniors 3
• Cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are common chronic conditions at age 85 4
• Leading cause of death but lower prevalence than other chronic conditions 7

7. Cancer

• 8.0% of adults overall report cancer (excluding skin cancer) 3
• Higher incidence rates in older adults, particularly those over 65 3
• 34% of those above age 65 have been affected by osteoarthritis 6

8. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

• 6.2% of adults have COPD 3
• Chronic respiratory diseases affected 11.7 million adults in 2022 8
• More common in older populations 4

9. Depression

• 16% of older adults sought treatment for depression in Medicare data 5
• 20.2% of all adults report depression 3
• Not a normal part of aging but significantly affects quality of life 5

10. Stroke (Cerebrovascular Disease)

• 3.4% of adults report stroke history 3
• Third leading cause of death among seniors 1
• Higher incidence with advanced age 4

Hypertension, High Cholesterol, Arthritis, Obesity, Diabetes, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cancer, COPD, Depression, Stroke

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$4,000 dollars saved annually for each veteran getting Vitamin D

Some hospitals in the Veterans Administration found $4,000 annual savings per patient when giving Vitamin D

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Data from both US Veterans and Germans (senior)

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Top 10 chronic health problems of those with DARKER SKIN

1. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

• 56.8% of Black men and 61.0% of Black women aged 20+ have hypertension 1
• African Americans develop hypertension earlier in life than other groups 2
• One in three African Americans suffers from high blood pressure 3

2. Obesity

• 49.6% of African Americans have obesity compared to 42.2% of non-Hispanic whites 4
• African American women have rates of 56.9% vs. 41.1% for African American men 4
• Highest obesity rates among all racial groups 4

3. Diabetes (Type 2)

• African Americans are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than white adults 5
• Over twice as likely to develop diabetes compared to white Americans 6
• More likely to suffer complications like end-stage renal disease and amputations 7

4. Heart Disease

• Leading cause of death among African Americans 1
• African Americans aged 18-49 are two times more likely to die of heart disease 3
• Young Black patients have an increasing burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors 8

5. Stroke

• African Americans were 50% more likely to have a stroke than non-Hispanic white adults in 2018 9
• Black men had stroke death rates 2-3 times higher than other groups 10
• Higher stroke mortality rates in all regions, especially the South 10

6. Chronic Kidney Disease

• African Americans are more than 3 times as likely to have kidney failure compared to white Americans 11
• 18 times greater risk of end-stage renal disease due to hypertension in some regions 12
• Higher rates of kidney disease requiring dialysis or transplant 12

7. Asthma

• Black people are 40% more likely to have asthma than white people 13
• Black women are 84% more likely to have asthma than Black men 13
• Higher rates of emergency department visits and complications 14

8. Cancer

• African American men are 50% more likely to get lung cancer 7
• Higher rates of prostate cancer among Black men 7
• African American women under 35 are twice as likely to develop cancer 7

9. Depression and Anxiety

• 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems 15
• Depression was the most frequently examined chronic condition (70.2%) in African American families 16
• Lower rates of mental health treatment utilization 15

10. HIV/AIDS

• Black people account for 39% of new HIV diagnoses despite being 12% of the population 17
• HIV incidence rate of 45.0 per 100,000 among Black Americans vs. 5.3 for whites 18
• Black women account for 55% of new HIV infections among women 18

Hypertension, Obesity, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Stroke, Chronic Kidney Disease, Asthma, Cancer, Depression and Anxiety, HIV/AIDS

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Top 10 causes of death

2018

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Fertility improved if high level of Vitamin D

• Vitamin D is needed for human fertility – goal is 50 ng – Sept 2018
• Infertile patients 1.7X more-likely to become pregnant if take Vitamin D – meta-analysis Feb 2023
• If diagnosed infertile, more likely to have live birth if Vitamin D fortification – Feb 2020
• Preconception vitamin D is great - every extra 10 ng associated with 10 percent more likely to have live birth – Aug 2018
• Women with more than minimum vitamin D were 3.4 X more likely to achieve pregnancy and 1.6 X more likely to have live births – June 2017
• Birth rates doubled with Vitamin D - 300,000 IU for infertile men – RCT Nov 2017
• Conception was 3.7X more likely if the male had a good level of Vitamin D – July 2022

In Vitro Fertilization

• In-vitro Fertilization costs at least 10,000 dollars, Vitamin D costs 5 dollars
• In Vitro Fertilization clinical trial using 50,000 IU of Vitamin D bi-weekly – Dec 2024
• IVF 4X more successful for white women with lots of vitamin D – many studies

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Vitamin improves the immune system to fight:

Glyphosate   Addictions   Ultra-processed foods   Microplastics
 
99 health problems   3 to 55 X more likely to have 63 health problems if low Vitamin D
 
50,000 IU of Vitamin D once every 2 weeks proven to prevent/treat 27 health problems (80% of adults got >40 ng for just $5/year)
Diabetes + Heart Failure + Chronic Pain + Depression + Autism + Breast Cancer + Colon Cancer + Prostate Cancer + BPH (prostate) + Preeclampsia + Premature Birth + Falls + Cognitive Decline + Respiratory Tract Infection + Influenza + Tuberculosis + Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease + Lupus + Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome + Urinary Tract Infection + Poor Sleep + Growing Pain + Multiple Sclerosis + PMS + Schizophrenia + Endometriosis + Smoking

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VitaminDWiki - The top 10 medical expenses can all be decreased by vitamin D

Problem	Cost	VitaminDWiki
Heart Conditions:	$555 Billion	Overview Cardiovascular and vitamin D
Diabetes:	$245 Billion	Overview Diabetes and vitamin D
Cancer:	$225 Billion	Overview Cancer and vitamin D and 17+ subcategories
Obesity:	$190 Billion	Overview Obesity and Vitamin D
COPD and Asthma: Between	$100-290 Billion	COPD fought by Vitamin D - many studies Overview Asthma and Vitamin D
Traffic Injuries:	$99 Billion	Vitamin D is needed before most surgeries
Mental Disorders:	$89 Billion	Overview Alzheimer's-Cognition and Vitamin D Depression   Brain and Vitamin D - many studies
Low Back and Neck Problems:	$87 Billion	Back Pain
Joint Disorders:	$80 Billion	Overview Osteoporosis and vitamin D
High Blood Pressure:	$46 Billion	Overview Hypertension and Vitamin D

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