Hospital admissions caused by a lack of vitamins have seen a “troubling” increase, new figures show.
NHS data reveal a dramatic rise in people with a main diagnosis of anaemia, caused by lack of iron, and B vitamin deficiencies.
The Royal College of GPs warned that the cost of living crisis has made a nutritious diet “increasingly unaffordable” for some people, and said the findings were ”very concerning”.
There were 191,927 NHS admissions for conditions caused by iron deficiency in 2023/2024, compared with 173,227 the previous year – a rise of 11 per cent. That is almost 10 times higher than in 1998/1999.
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Anaemia caused by vitamin B12 or B9 (folate) deficiencies also led to 3,490 hospital admissions in 2023/24, up four-fold from the turn of the century.
Prof Kamila Hawthorne, the chairman of the Royal College of GPs, 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.
“The near tenfold rise in admissions for patients with a diagnosis of iron deficiency and a four-fold increase in folate deficiencies – primarily caused by a lack of nutrition in the diet – is particularly troubling.
“While treatable with supplements or dietary changes, it comes with the risk of complications – in children, iron deficiency can be detrimental to development and has been linked to poorer attainment at school.”
Symptoms of iron deficiency include being very pale, irritability, fatigue, increased heart rate, sore or swollen tongue, and enlarged spleen. The condition can cause heart failure if left untreated.
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Overall the NHS prescribed 804,936 courses of treatment for iron deficiency anaemia, up from 721,650 the year before.
The figures show there were also 2,630 admissions for B vitamin deficiency (other than folate), up 15 per cent on the previous year and more than triple levels in 1998/1999.
Symptoms of vitamin B deficiency can vary but include fatigue, muscle problems, breathlessness, headaches, pale skin, vision problems and heart palpitations.
The NHS issued more than 260,000 treatments for vitamin B deficiency in 2023/2024, an increase of 11 per cent.
The data further showed 486 courses of treatment involved people with vitamin C deficiency, up from 338 the previous year, while 773 involved a lack of calcium, up from 758.
Prof Hawthorne said the link between overall health and nutrition is “well established” and a “poor diet can increase a patient’s risk of developing certain health conditions, while also exacerbating existing conditions”.
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She added: “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 front line of this public health crisis, caring for patients who are experiencing the health consequences of growing deprivation.
“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.”
A recent survey of Royal College of GPs members found that 74 per cent have seen an increase in the number of presentations linked to poverty over the past year.
Responding to the figures, a government spokesman said: “Lord Darzi’s report laid bare the poor health of our nation, which is putting pressure on our NHS services.
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“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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