In Scotland between October and March we do not get enough of the right kind of sunlight for our bodies to make Vitamin D.
People who are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin D are recommended to take a daily supplement all year round.
Those more at risk include:
- infants and children under 5 years old
- pregnant and breastfeeding women
- people with low sun exposure, for example those who cover their skin for cultural reasons, are housebound, confined indoors for long periods or live in an institution
- people from minority ethnic groups with dark skin such as those of African, African-Caribbean and south Asian origin, who require more sun exposure to make as much vitamin D
More information from Food Standards Scotland can be found here:
