Biocultural perspectives of vitamin D deficiency in the past

Recently, significant attention has been paid to aspects of health associated with vitamin D deficiency in the current population; this interest has coincided with identification of paleopathological features of deficiency. Vitamin D is synthesised in the skin on exposure to sunlight, and is also obtained through a small number of dietary sources. There are a number of causes of deficiency, but those linked to sunlight and diet are most common. …