An Australian Bureau of Statistics report has revealed about four million Australians are not getting enough Vitamin D. The study, released yesterday, was conducted in 2011 and 2012, and revealed one in twenty Australians took Vitamin D supplements. It also found that 23 per cent of adults had a mild or a moderate deficiency. This rate was found to have risen during the cooler months, as people retreated indoors.
However, in the Illawarra, various outdoor activities will continue to run this winter as a way for people can remain active and healthy. Surfing is one such activity that continues to be a popular, even as the weather cools down. At Wollongong’s North Beach, the holiday surf program for Pines Surf Academy is booming with business, as children flock to the water to learn how to surf and soak up those rays of sunshine.
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- Vitamin D deficiencies are known to jump in winter. With the colder weather fast approaching, there are still a range of activities available to those in need of some sun.
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- Surfing workshops in the Illawarra are just one of the ways children are being encouraged to get outdoors. Even if the weather is turning cooler!
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- Did you know surf conditions are generally better in winter?
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- Children particularly need Vitamin D, as it helps absorb calcium. An important component in good bone growth and development.
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- The amount of sun you need in order to get enough Vitamin D varies from person to person. Lighter skinned people may only need a few minutes of sun everyday, while darker skinned people may need a few hours a week.
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- Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to some conditions such as osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.
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- Using a wetsuit and rash shirt in the water can act as an heat incubator. Therefore you can stay in the water, even as the weather cools.
One in four adults are vitamin D deficient. Surf instructors Josh Chapple and Matthew Gillett from PinesSurfing Academy talk to UOWTV about their school holiday program, and how to keep kids active and involved outside, so they develop healthy habits as they grow.
Photos: Samara Gardner
Audio: Angelique Lu
Well@Work is a first-time program committed to providing a positive and healthy staff experience at UOW. Throughout 2014, the program will provide awareness on topics relevant to staff with the aim of supporting healthy lifestyle behaviours, particularly in the lead up to winter.
UOW Workplace Health and Safety Unit manager Darren Smith says the program and sunshine will bring plenty of benefits.
Well@Work will be launched on Thursday, 17 April, at 11am in the University Hall Foyer. Video Reporter Roseanne Scott