I think Vitamin D deficiency hype is driven by supplement sellers.
As someone who grew up in a European country where we don't get long summers, I suffered no demonstrable issues from the lack of sun nor did the many around me.
My family wasn't rich so food was reasonably nutritious but not perfectly balanced either.
Vitamin D supplements are sold widely, including in smaller supermarkets like Lidl and Aldi. And one imagines it all comes out of the same few factories.
There will be some who do need it, but not as many as are led to believe they do.
As many other things, it depends on diet and lifestyle. I also live in the cold north, and generally, if you're fair-skinned, spend enough time in the sun and consume at least some products with natural or added vitamin D, you're usually good.
Having a balanced diet and enough time to spend in the sun isn't a given, though, and many struggle getting enough vitamin D without suppments.
you're telling me Big Vitamin is hustling the rubes that much?
the reason it is commonly hyped is because it is in fact reasonably common, and because the fix is cheap and has no real side effects unless you take comically massive doses
As someone who grew up in a European country where we don't get long summers, I suffered no demonstrable issues from the lack of sun nor did the many around me.
My family wasn't rich so food was reasonably nutritious but not perfectly balanced either.
Vitamin D supplements are sold widely, including in smaller supermarkets like Lidl and Aldi. And one imagines it all comes out of the same few factories.
There will be some who do need it, but not as many as are led to believe they do.