Abstract
Primary dietary deficiency of vitamins is now rare in Britain except in certain deprived sections of the population. In infancy and childhood vitamin D deficiency leading to rickets is seen mainly in coloured immigrants. At the other end of life nutritional deficiency of vitamins occurs as a result of the changes in bodily systems associated with senescence and the altered socio-economic circumstances of old people. Much more common, however, are the secondary deficiencies due to disease processes impairing appetite and the absorption, metabolism and utilization of vitamins. Although the diseases responsible for these impairments can occur at all ages they are much more frequent in the elderly who, in addition, are more likely to suffer from disorders affecting several organs of the body.
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Exton-Smith, A.N. (1979). The clinical diagnosis of vitamin deficiencies in everyday medical practice. In: Taylor, T.G. (eds) The Importance of Vitamins to Human Health. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-6229-6_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-6229-6_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-011-6231-9
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