Scurvy can have a variety of symptoms. Recently, there has been a concerning trend with the rise in the number of people being treated for malnutrition. This has led to the reappearance of Victorian-era ailments such as scurvy and rickets. According to The Times, there has been a surge in cases of malnutrition, with nearly 11,000 individuals in England being hospitalized last year. This highlights the devastating impact of the cost of living crisis on people’s ability to adequately feed themselves and their families. The situation has been made worse by the Government’s decision to end the £20 a week Universal Credit uplift, pushing over 100,000 additional people into “absolute poverty” according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Provisional data obtained by The Times Health Commission under freedom of information laws reveal a more than twofold increase in cases of malnutrition over the past decade, with a fourfold increase since 2007/8. From 2022 to April 2023, 10,896 NHS patients, including 312 children, were admitted to hospitals in England due to malnutrition. Furthermore, 171 individuals were treated for scurvy, a disease caused by severe vitamin C deficiency, and 482 patients were admitted with rickets, a condition resulting from prolonged vitamin D deficiency, with 405 of them being children.
These ailments, such as scurvy and rickets, were commonly associated with the hardships faced by sailors in the 18th century due to a lack of fresh fruits and vegetables during long voyages. Dr. Clare Gerada expressed shock at the health situation of the most vulnerable, stating that the poorest people in the country are poorer than their counterparts in Europe due to poor diet. She also highlighted the obesity epidemic as an indicator of malnutrition, as many obese children are deficient in vitamin D.
The rise in cases of scurvy suggests that individuals may be unable to afford fresh fruits and vegetables, reflecting the Department for Work and Pensions data, which shows that around one in six people in the UK are living in relative poverty. Dr. Gerada emphasized the need to address poverty and its social determinants, as neglecting the poor could lead to an increase in diseases from the Victorian era. The article concludes with a discussion between Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner and Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden about poverty in Britain, highlighting the impact of rising bills, soaring mortgages, and plummeting real wages on families.
Official NHS advice on scurvy and rickets is also provided, outlining the symptoms and risk factors of these conditions. The article was generated with the help of AI tools, which facilitated the editorial research process.