Rickets, a bone condition caused by vitamin D deficiency, was widespread among children in England during the 18th century. Factory work and polluted cities used to be blamed for this deficiency, but experts have found other factors that affected children's health at that time.
Exposing the Real Culprit
The 18th and 19th centuries were a period of urbanization and industrialization in England. This was also the time of increasing health issues such as vitamin D deficiency and associated medical conditions like rickets. At the cemetery site of Coach Lane in Northern England, a previous study has identified rickets based on skeletal lesions.
In a new study entitled "Vitamin D status in post-medieval Northern England: Insights from dental histology and enamel peptide analysis at Coach Lane, North Shields (AD 1711-1857)", a team of researchers from Australia, UK, and New Zealand built upon this study with new analyses of dental tissue. Led by Dr. Annie Sohler-Snoddy from the University of Otago, the researchers examined the teeth of 25 individuals preserved at the site.
The team discovered poorly mineralized dentin tissue, which they used as evidence for periods of vitamin D deficiency during childhood. Meanwhile, analysis of enamel peptides allowed them to identify the chromosomal sex of some of these individuals.
From these analyses, the researchers found that about 76% of examined individuals had poor mineral metabolism during childhood, with a significantly higher incidence in males. Some also indicate signs of repeated annual disruptions in tooth tissue development, suggesting a seasonal disorder.
Their investigation revealed a greater prevalence of vitamin D deficiency compared with previous works that relied on skeletal evidence. Compared with females, the high incidence of vitamin D deficiency in males might be linked to social dynamics like gendered work practices in industrial England. The research highlights that latitude and seasonal lack of sunlight were significant factors in the amount of vitamin D received by these people. Poor diet may have also played a role, as the people consumed very little marine fish despite living close to the coast.
This study is the first to show clear evidence of seasonal vitamin D deficiency in an archaeological sample. According to Dr. Sohler-Snoddy, although these factors may have contributed to those people not getting enough sunlight, the research suggests that it was more complicated than the factors associated with the Industrial Revolution.
READ ALSO: Sunshine Vitamin: Here's Why Vitamin D Matters and What Happens When You Lack It
Dangers of Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency is a common global medical issue. It is estimated that about one billion people worldwide suffer from vitamin D deficiency, while 50% of the population has vitamin D insufficiency.
Some of the most serious complications of vitamin D deficiency include low blood calcium levels, low blood phosphate levels, rickets, and osteomalacia. Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness could indicate that a person has a vitamin D deficiency. For many people, however, the symptoms are subtle. Yet, even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks.
Low levels of vitamin D in the blood have been associated with an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment in older adults, severe asthma in children, and cancer. Studies also suggest that vitamin D could be important in preventing and treating various health conditions, like type 1 and type 2 diabetes, glucose intolerance, hypertension, and multiple sclerosis.
RELATED ARTICLE: Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Premature Death as Shown in a Large Study
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