Study to decide whether vitamin D should be added to food

Foods naturally rich in vitamin D include fish, eggs, cheese, milk, butter and mushrooms. Photograph: Piotr Malczyk/Alamy

An official review is to examine whether food and drink can be fortified with vitamin D to close health inequalities, Sajid Javid has announced.

Officials said that the study was being launched following evidence that around one in six adults in the UK has low levels of vitamin D, a deficiency that can lead to conditions such as rickets, disabilities and bone pain. The greater use of supplements will also be examined, with Javid calling on experts and patient groups to come forward with evidence.