English class work two - Essay Example

Vitamins Vitamins are very essential for the well-being of any healthy person. As much as they have vital importance to our body, they are only needed in certain quantities. The thirteen vitamins we need to maintain health are vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K and eight B vitamins (Robinson, 2012). The functions of some of these vitamins are; Vitamin C helps keep the cells healthy, Vitamin A is good for eyesight and healthy skin, Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and is essential for strong bones and teeth, Vitamin E helps to maintain cell structure.

Deficiency of any of these vitamins has adverse consequences on the health of any human being. For example, low levels of Vitamin D cause rickets in children. The main issue being addressed in the United Kingdom is the deficiency of Vitamin D in a large number of its population. The best source of Vitamin D is sunlight and found in a small number of foods. Unfortunately, there are certain factors that have led to the huge deficiency of Vitamin D in a huge number of the population. During the winter months, there is very low or almost no sunlight and this inhibit the use of Vitamin D from sunlight.

Hence, this causes many people to stay indoors and heavily cloth themselves, increasing the chances of Vitamin D deficiency. The consequences of this are very evident in the UK, many infants suffer from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and fractures in susceptible children. A pathologist, Dr. Irene Scheimberg based at Royal London Hospital discovered vitamin D deficiency in 8 further cases of SIDS and 30 other cases of children who died. In Scotland, there were many cases of multiple sclerosis, which is caused by this deficiency.

These alarming statistics prompted the creation of 208 million pound vitamin supplement market. A multivitamin supplement is a preparation intended to be a dietary supplement with vitamins, dietary minerals and other nutritional elements. The UK government has a role to play in the regulation of this vitamin supplement market. As much as vitamin supplements are necessary, the UK government should ensure that the firms producing them meet high standards of human consumption. Multivitamin supplements need to also be researched before being dispensed to the public to prevent health hazards to certain groups of people, for example pregnant women.

However, research shows that the best and safest sources of vitamins are from certain foods and having a balanced diet. One long-term project the UK government should undertake is to set structure to educate the people on the benefits of having a balanced diet and the various sources of food that are necessary for this. People should also be educated on the benefits that a balanced diet has over multivitamins, and the cost savings of not buying supplements and having a balanced diet. For example in the next 40 years, the people in the UK should be oriented into a culture of having a balanced diet so that most of the population appreciates the importance to their health and their awareness at large.

There should be a clear breakdown of what multivitamin supplements are, their benefits, and disadvantages in comparison to a balanced diet.ReferencesRobinson, A. (2012, January 26). Guardian Online. Retrieved from Guardian Online: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/26/vitamin-d-deficiency