Madrid
Despite having between 2,000 and 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, Spain faces a health paradox: around 75% of the population has a vitamin D deficiency, according to a study published a few months ago by the magazine Nature. Specialists point out that this phenomenon is largely due to a change in the population’s lifestyle.
Vitamin D is obtained mainly through sun exposure and, to a lesser extent, through diet. However, both factors are currently proving insufficient. On the one hand, the widespread use of sunscreens—necessary to prevent skin cancer—limits the synthesis of this vitamin. On the other hand, foods rich in vitamin D are not a regular part of the daily diet nor do they provide sufficient quantities to cover the body’s needs.
Few foods contain vitamin D
“There are few foods that contain vitamin D. Oily fish, liver, eggs and some mushrooms are rich in this vitamin. Even so, their quantity is insufficient to reach adequate levels,” says Lorenzo Armenteros, member of the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians.
Furthermore, experts warn that the problem no longer only affects older people, traditionally more vulnerable due to aging skin. It is increasingly detected in young people, whose habits have changed significantly compared to previous generations. The tendency to spend more time indoors, linked to digital entertainment and new social routines, reduces sun exposure. “They do their leisure at home. Social networks, screens and video games have reduced their time on the street if we compare it with previous generations,” explains Armenteros.
Vitamin D supplements
In this situation, specialists recommend caution with vitamin D supplements. Although they can be beneficial, they insist that their consumption must always be done under a doctor’s prescription, since improper use can cause adverse effects, such as calcifications in the kidneys.
The contrast with northern European countries is striking. In places like Norway, Finland or Iceland, where the hours of sunshine are considerably fewer, deficit levels are lower. This is explained by a greater presence of foods rich in vitamin D in the diet and by the widespread use of supplements, especially during the winter months.
Experts agree that improving lifestyle and eating habits will be key to reversing a trend that, despite the favorable climate, continues to increase in Spain.