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Towards an adequate intake of vitamin D. An advisory report of the Health Council of the Netherlands

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 63, pages 1455–1457 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

In this report, the Health Council of the Netherlands advises the government on the best policies to achieve an adequate vitamin D supply for the Dutch population. People with a dark skin, those who spend little time outdoors, pregnant and lactating women, veiled women, elderly and children who do not receive vitamin D supplements or infant formula are at risk of vitamin D deficiency. To improve this, more consistent information about vitamin D should be provided. Spending at least 15 min a day outdoors in combination with a healthy diet generates sufficient vitamin D in children and adults with a light skin. All other groups need additional vitamin D from supplements (10–20 μg/day). Fortified foods can only provide part of the additional vitamin D needed.

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Acknowledgements

All authors contributed substantially to the realization of the advisory report and the short communication arising from it. RMW wrote the article and GS and DK provided valuable input. The advisory report has been drafted by a committee of the Health Council of the Netherlands. GS was the chairman and RMW the scientific secretary. The other members were H van den Berg, EN Blok (advisor), HJ Blom, CPGM de Groot, M den Heijer, KFAM Hulshof, PTAM Lips, IMCM Rietjens, PJJ Sauer, P van ‘t Veer and T Vulsma. The Health Council of the Netherlands thanks them for their contribution. Commitee member PTAM Lips was a member of the Advisory Board of Merck, Sharp and Dohme until 1 December 2006 and has received research grants from Wyeth, Merck, Sharp and Dohme, Procter and Gamble and Aventis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Council of the Netherlands, The Hague, The Netherlands

    R M Weggemans, G Schaafsma & D Kromhout

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  1. R M Weggemans
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  2. G Schaafsma
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  3. D Kromhout
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to R M Weggemans.

Additional information

This is an official release by the Health Council of the Netherlands. Issued in September 2008 in Dutch, a translation into English became available in February 2009 at www.healthcouncil.nl

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Weggemans, R., Schaafsma, G. & Kromhout, D. Towards an adequate intake of vitamin D. An advisory report of the Health Council of the Netherlands. Eur J Clin Nutr 63, 1455–1457 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2009.67

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