The number of people admitted to hospital in England because of a lack of vitamins or minerals is soaring, according to analysis of NHS figures.
In 2023-24 there were 191,927 admissions where the main reason was a lack of iron, up 11% on 2022-23. The figure is almost 10 times the 20,396 hospital admissions for lack of iron in 1998-99.
There were also 2,630 admissions in 2023-24 where B vitamin deficiency (other than folate) was the main reason, up 15% on the previous year and more than triple the 833 in 1998-99, according to the NHS data.
Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia resulted in 3,490 hospital admissions in 2023-24, similar to the previous year but up fourfold from 836 in 1998-99, analysis by the PA Media news agency found.
Doctors said the substantial rise in admissions due to a lack of vitamins was concerning.
Prof Kamila Hawthorne, the chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), said: “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.
“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.”
A recent survey of RCGP members found that 74% had seen an increase in the number of presentations linked to poverty in the last year, Hawthorne said. “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.”
The analysis found that when looking at patients admitted for any reason but also recorded as having a vitamin deficiency, the numbers affected were even higher.
In 2023-24, there were 804,936 courses of NHS treatment involving people who had iron deficiency anaemia, up from 721,650 the year before.
There were also 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.
There were 486 courses of treatment for people with vitamin C deficiency, up from 338 the previous year, and 773 cases involving a lack of calcium, up from 758.
Hawthorne urged ministers to commit to a prevention-based approach to health, which she said would not only improve people’s quality of life “but ultimately alleviate pressures on the health service”.
A government spokesperson said: “Lord Darzi’s report laid bare the poor health of our nation, which is putting pressure on our NHS services. Our 10-year health plan will shift the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention and will include action to ensure people have access to a healthy and balanced diet. Through the plan for change, we will fix the foundations of the country to ensure everyone lives healthier lives for longer.”
