Data shows vitamin deficiency hospitalising huge numbers each year
According to NHS data analysis, the number of people admitted to hospitals in England due to a lack of vitamins or minerals is soaring.
In 2023-24, there were 191,927 admissions for conditions caused by iron deficiency, an 11% rise from 173,227 the previous year and nearly 10 times the 20,396 recorded in 1998-99. The PA Media news agency analysis also revealed that cases of anaemia, caused by vitamin B12 or folate deficiencies, rose dramatically – with 3,490 admissions – marking a fourfold increase since the late 1990s.
The Royal College of GPs (RCGP) has described the findings as ‘very concerning’. Prof Kamila Hawthorne, the chair of the RCGP, highlighted that the rise in nutrition-related anaemia is likely linked to the increase in the cost of living, which makes a healthy diet less affordable.
‘The near-tenfold rise in admissions for patients with a diagnosis of iron deficiency and a fourfold increase in folate deficiencies – caused primarily by a lack of nutrition in the diet – is particularly troubling,’ she said.
‘We have seen fresh, healthier foods spike in price over the last few years, making a nutritious diet increasingly unaffordable for some, while fast foods are cheap, are filling and easy to access but are low in nutritious content. GPs are on the frontline of this public health crisis, caring for patients who are experiencing the health consequences of growing deprivation.’
Iron deficiency
According to the NHS, symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia can include:
tiredness and lack of energy
shortness of breath
noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations)
paler than usual skin
headaches
In total, the NHS prescribed 804,936 treatments for iron deficiency anaemia in 2023-24, up from 721,650 the previous year.
The data also showed there were 38,140 courses of treatment involving people with vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia, up from 35,983 the year before, and 227,097 courses of treatment for other B vitamin deficiency, up from 201,320.
Vitamin B12 deficiency
According to the NHS, symptoms of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anaemia include:
rapid breathing or shortness of breath
headaches
indigestion
loss of appetite
palpitations
problems with your vision
feeling weak or tired
diarrhoea
a sore or red tongue, sometimes with mouth ulcers
problems with memory, understanding and judgment (cognitive changes)
Prof Hawthorne added that the link between health and nutrition is ‘well established’ and a ‘poor diet can increase a patient’s risk of developing certain health conditions, while also exacerbating existing conditions.
‘It is unacceptable that a developed nation like the UK should see an increase in the number of conditions that can be linked to poverty and poor nutrition and yet this is the reality.’
Read next:
Ultra-processed foods may accelerate ageing process, according to new study
17 ultra-processed foods to swerve – and what to swap them for
7 iron-rich vegetarian foods: the best plants and pulses to load up on
Cut through the noise and get practical, expert advice, home workouts, easy nutrition and more direct to your inbox. Sign up to the WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWSLETTER
You Might Also Like
