Experts have warned of a “troubling” rise in the number of people being hospitalised in the UK because of vitamin deficiencies, following an analysis of National Health Service (NHS) data.
The analysis of NHS statistics, carried out by the PA media news agency, revealed a significant increase in patients admitted with anaemia – caused by iron deficiency – and B vitamin deficiencies.
In 2023/24, there were 191,927 hospital admissions in England where the primary cause was iron deficiency – up 11% on the previous year’s 173,227 and almost ten times more than the 20,396 recorded in 1998/99.
For admissions where B vitamin deficiency – excluding folate – was the main cause, there were 2,630 admissions in 2023/24, a 15% increase on the previous year’s 2,236 and more than triple the 833 admissions in 1998/1999.
Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia led to 3,490 hospital admissions in 2023/24 – similar to the previous year, but up fourfold from the 836 cases in 1998/99.
The Royal College of GPs said it was “very concerning” that a developed nation like the UK was experiencing an increase in conditions that could be linked to poverty and poor nutrition.
Chairwoman Professor Kamila Hawthorne said: “It is very concerning that cases of nutrition-related anaemia serious enough to warrant hospital admission have seen such a substantial increase over the past 25 years.”
She added: “The near-tenfold rise in admissions for patients with a diagnosis of iron deficiency and a fourfold increase in folate deficiencies – primarily caused by a lack of nutrition in the diet – is particularly troubling.”
The analysis found that taking into account patients who were admitted for any reason but also recorded as having a vitamin deficiency, the numbers of people affected were even higher.
Elsewhere, vitamin C deficiency admissions needing treatment rose to 486 from 338, while there were 773 treatments for calcium deficiency – slightly more than last year's 758.
Hawthorne drew attention to the link between socioeconomic status, nutrition, and health outcomes.
“A poor diet can increase a patient’s risk of developing certain health conditions, while also exacerbating existing conditions,” 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.”
Cost is an “unacceptable” contributing factor to the increase in such preventable conditions, she argued.
“A recent survey of our members found that 74% of GPs have seen an increase in the number of presentations linked to poverty over the past year,” she 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.”
Hawthorne highlighted the importance of adopting a prevention-based approach, which she said would not only benefit patients but “ultimately, alleviate pressures on the health service”.
She added: “GPs are on the front line of this public health crisis, caring for patients who are experiencing the health consequences of growing deprivation.”
Symptoms of iron deficiency include irritability, fatigue, an increased heart rate, a sore or swollen tongue, extreme paleness, and an enlarged spleen. If left untreated, the condition can lead to heart failure.
Symptoms of B vitamin deficiency include fatigue, muscle weakness, shortness of breath, headaches, pale skin, eyesight problems, and palpitations.
Iron-rich foods include red meat, kidney beans, edamame beans and chickpeas, nuts, fortified breakfast cereals, and dried fruit such as dried apricots. Good sources of B vitamins and folate include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, spring greens, spinach, chickpeas, and kidney beans. Vitamin B12 can be found in meat, fish, milk, cheese, and eggs.
A UK 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.”
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