BAME babies at highest risk of Vitamin D deficiency, highlighting need for improvements to UK antenatal supplementation programme

BAME babies at highest risk of Vitamin D deficiency, highlighting need for improvements to UK antenatal supplementation programme, new study suggests. A third of all babies and half of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) babies are vitamin D deficient, a large study of 3000 newborn's in the West Midlands has shown, highlighting potential shortfalls in the current UK antenatal supplementation programme. Vitamin D, sometimes referred to as the 'sunshine vitamin' helps the body absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet making it vital for healthy bones, teeth and muscles. As well as causing bone softness and weakness, vitamin D deficiency in newborn infants can lead to serious life-threatening complications such as seizures, serious heart conditions and, rarely, death in the first months of life. With very few dietary sources of vitamin D, supplementation programmes are in place to ensure adequate vitamin D consumption in high risk groups which include pregnant women and children. This latest study, led by experts at the University of Birmingham and Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust , analysed vitamin D levels on 3000 dry blood samples, collected via a heel prick in the first week of life as part of the national Newborn Blood Spot screening programme. Samples were strategically collected at the end of summer and winter to capture the peak and trough in vitamin D levels.