‘Office workers miss out on sun’

WITH temperatures soaring and barely a cloud in the sky, you may have thought we’d all be getting our fair share of sunshine.

But for those who are trapped behind a desk from nine to five, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Nine in 10 office workers are low on vitamin D because they struggle to see enough of the sun. This is putting thousands at greater risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and even cancer.

Office staff have two-thirds of the vitamin D seen in outdoor workers such as gardeners, a review has found.

That is because they see the sun only in the morning and evening, when its rays are less intense, and so their skin is less able to produce the vitamin.

Researchers from Alberta University in Canada found 91% of office workers have insufficient vitamin D levels.

Co-author Dr Sebastian Straube said: “Our results suggest that occupation is a major factor that may contribute to sub-optimal vitamin D levels.”

While you can also get vitamin D from eating oily fish, red meat, liver and eggs, sunshine is by far the most important source. Production within the body from solar ultraviolet radiation makes up 90% of the vitamin in healthy people.

The authors said indoor workers such as secretaries and IT staff typically spend eight hours or longer inside during the day.

Less than half of outdoor workers from areas such as gardening and construction are vitamin D deficient, compared with 78% of those who work indoors.

Pregnant women and the elderly are most vulnerable to a lack of vitamin D and the review warns that deficiency in early adulthood can cut bone density and lead to a greater danger of developing osteoporosis in later life. Shift workers are most likely to be vitamin D deficient, the review found. – Daily Mail