Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

Lack of Vitamin C causes a reawakening of scurvy cases in the UK
  • USA - English


News provided by

Chemist Direct

Jul 05, 2013, 10:00 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

Increased Vitamin C intake can help prevent Scurvy
Increased Vitamin C intake can help prevent Scurvy

Scurvy was the scourge of pirates and sailors in the 18th century, and it occurs only if people do not eat enough Vitamin C. It is shocking that a disease from that time would rise again in the 21st century.

Post this

(PRWEB UK) 5 July 2013 -- Recent reports of scurvy cases in the UK clearly indicate that vitamin C deficiency may be more prevalent than is generally assumed. In England, between 2004 and 2005, 61 children were admitted to the hospital with scurvy, but by 2007 and 2008, the figures rose to 94. Worse yet, there has been a rise of more than 50% during the last 3 years. Stephen O’Brien, the Conservative Health spokesman, who stated these figures said: “Scurvy was the scourge of pirates and sailors in the 18th century, and it occurs only if people do not eat enough Vitamin C. It is shocking that a disease from that time would rise again in the 21st century.”

A survey of Low Income Diet and Nutrition a couple years back took valid plasma vitamin C measurements in 433 men and 876 women. The outcome was that an estimated 25% of the men and 16% of the women in the low-income/materially deprived population had plasma vitamin C concentrations that were indicative of deficiency, and a further fifth of the population had levels in the depleted range. Reporting low-dietary vitamin C intake, not taking vitamin supplements, and smoking were all predictors of extreme low vitamin C levels. Public Health UK stated after the survey that: “Health professionals need to be aware that poor vitamin C status is relatively common among adults living on a low income in the UK.”

But should a poor vitamin C status among adults and families living on low income be considered normality? Glyn and Julie Seabridge, parents of eight-year-old Dylan Seabridge who allegedly died from scurvy 18 months ago, from West Wales wait to find out. Both parents are currently facing trial at Swansea Crown Court, charged with the neglect and ill treatment of their son. Their indicated intention of pleading not guilty to the charge has been received with a mixture of feelings from the UK public, some of whom scorn the parents for the abuse of their son, and others who express their sympathy for the growing plight of poverty among low income families in the UK. The question remains: Could the boy’s life have been spared by something as simple as an increase in vitamin C intake? A dietitian from Rhondda Valley, Sioned Quirke, expressed her surprise and concern regarding the case by stating: “Rickets and scurvy seem to be coming back. When I was training 10 years ago we were told about these diseases as ‘past conditions’. The difference between now and then is that scurvy and rickets conditions nowadays are out of choice. People tend to complain that fruit and vegetables are not affordable, when in fact they are.”

Dr. Mark Temple, of the British Medical Association's public health committee, stated that food standards in the UK are worse now than they were during wartime rations. On an average, each person in Britain is eating 8 lb 13 oz (approx 4 kg) less fruit and vegetables a year than in 2007--a drop of 3%. Food experts at the Dutch bank Rabobank even state that on an average, Britons eat 12 oz (346 g) of fruit and vegetables each day, which is well below the 14.1 oz (400 g) that is recommended by the World Health Organisation. An increase of fruit and vegetable intake as well as vitamin C supplements must be seen before things get any worse.

The World Health Organization (WHO) admits that while it is not possible to relate daily servings of fruits and vegetables to an exact amount of Vitamin C, each individual’s dietary goal should be 400g of Vitamin C daily in order to meet the 1970’s Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations guidelines for lowering the risk of chronic disease. The WHO goal has been roughly translated into the recommendation of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

References:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10158690/Scurvy-returns-among-children-with-diets-worse-than-in-the-war.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1225905/Seafarers-disease-Scurvy-rise-children-lack-vitamin-C-diet.html
http://jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/content/30/4/456
http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/y2809e/y2809e0c.htm

Samantha Smith, Chemist Direct, 0121 541 4952, [email protected]

Modal title

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.