Research conducted at the Menzies Research Institute has discovered between one and two Tasmanian teenagers, out of every three, is vitamin D deficient.

Research conducted at the Menzies Research Institute has discovered between one and two Tasmanian teenagers, out of every three, is vitamin D deficient.

Menzies' Research Fellow Dr Tania Winzenberg said vitamin D deficiency is common in Tasmanian children, particularly teenagers.  A huge concern with vitamin D deficiency is that people don't know they are deficient, unless they have their levels tested.

As vitamin D is very important for developing strong bones, this puts children at higher risk of fractures both in childhood and in adult life.  Vitamin D may also have benefits for muscle, allergy, depression and infection, making maintaining adequate vitamin D levels of even greater importance.

Dr Winzenberg said the Menzies Research Institute is urgently in need of young adolescents to get involved with a new study, and address the serious health issue of vitamin D deficiency in our teenagers. 

In this study, volunteers will be asked to undertake a simple vitamin D blood test. 

"Once teenagers who are deficient are identified, we can correct their vitamin D levels and then determine how much improvement this causes in their bone development," Dr Winzenberg said.

"If we can improve the amount of bone laid down in childhood by only 10%, then this outcome is expected to halve the risk of fractures in later life."

Menzies' Senior Members, Professor Graeme Jones and Professor Mark Nelson and Member, Dr Tania Winzenberg, will lead the research team for this study.

In this initial phase of the study, the Menzies' research team needs to identify sixty vitamin D deficient adolescents aged between 15 years (as at the 31st December 2008) and 17 years.

Anyone interested in this study should contact Helen Steane, Menzies Research Institute on 03 62267700 or freecall 1800 638 124. Further information at http://www.menzies.utas.edu.au/pdf/VitaminD_study.pdf

The first phase of this project is funded by the Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation.

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