CSA Nutrition Working Group
Members:
A. Mithal (Chair), J-P. Bonjour, P. Burckhardt, B. Dawson-Hughes, G. El Hajj Fuleihan, R. Josse, J. Morales-Torres, N. Yoshimura
Vision:
To understand the global nature of the problem of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency.
Objectives:
In the consensus that vitamin D deficiency plays an important role in the development of osteoporosis and is a risk factor for fragility hip fractures, this group’s objectives are to assess the global status of vitamin D worldwide and to take position on the recommended vitamin D daily intake. The group would also like to investigate whether primary care physicians address nutritional risk factors in daily practice.
Work completed:
A global review of vitamin D status and determinants of hypovitaminosis D was published in June 2009 in Osteoporosis International. Regional reports were written for North America, Europe, Oceania, Middle-East and Africa, Latin America and finally Asia. The report showed that regardless of whether it is defined at 50nmol/L or 75nmol/L, vitamin D status is seriously inadequate in large proportions of the population across the globe. See report, and individual regional reports, published in June 2009
Current projects:
Following the report, the working group intends to produce recommendations for the level of vitamin D daily intake necessary to reach sufficiency, per different age groups (it will also include pregnant and lactating women as a separate category). The working group recognises the need for such a strong position, in light of the outdated FAO/WHO guidelines of 2002. The IOF Position Paper will be based on an international perspective and will look at the health issues of high vitamin D levels, the doses needed to achieve these values and will, finally, recommend the daily intake levels proven to reduce the burden of osteoporotic fractures.
In addition, the working group would like to conduct a survey on the attitudes and knowledge on nutrition regarding osteoporosis among primary care physicians. This project, under development, would highlight global differences in practice and understanding of nutrition for the prevention of osteoporosis around the world, and identify the challenges still remaining in the education and training of these doctors.
