Vitamin D deficiency in Pakistan: why it's this common

Pakistan sits on some of the sunniest latitudes in the world, and yet pooled estimates put vitamin D deficiency here at around 80 percent of the population — among the highest rates reported anywhere. That paradox comes up often enough in clinic that it is worth actually explaining, rather than just handing over a supplement.

The paradox: lots of sun, still deficient

Vitamin D is synthesised in skin exposed directly to sunlight, so abundant sunshine should, in theory, make deficiency rare here. In practice, clothing that covers most of the skin for cultural and religious reasons, predominantly indoor working and studying hours, and limited dietary sources all work against that theoretical advantage — particularly for women, who show consistently higher deficiency rates than men in Pakistani studies.

Why it matters beyond bones

Vitamin D's best-known role is calcium absorption and bone strength, but deficiency is also linked to persistent fatigue, low mood, weaker immune response, and — specifically relevant here — a higher rate of miscarriage in pregnant women with low levels, which is part of why it is now checked routinely in prenatal care in many clinics.

Who's most at risk

• Women who cover most of their skin outdoors, simply from reduced direct sun exposure.
• Anyone with a predominantly indoor routine — desk jobs, students, and anyone whose daylight hours are mostly spent inside.
• Darker skin tones, since more melanin naturally reduces the skin's vitamin D synthesis for the same sun exposure.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women, whose requirements increase.
• Older adults, whose skin synthesises vitamin D less efficiently with age.

What actually helps

Ten to fifteen minutes of midday sun on the arms and face, a few times a week, is a realistic and genuinely useful target — it does not require sunbathing. Dietary sources (egg yolks, fatty fish, fortified milk) exist but rarely close a significant gap on their own in a typical Pakistani diet, which is why supplementation is so often still needed. The one rule worth following strictly: get a 25-OH vitamin D blood test before starting a dose, rather than guessing a number off a supplement label. The right dose depends entirely on how deficient you actually are.

“Almost every patient I test in Islamabad comes back deficient, sun or no sun. The fix is rarely complicated — it just needs a real number to work from, not a guess.”

If you suspect a deficiency — persistent fatigue, low mood, or bone and joint aches that do not have an obvious cause — book a consultation to get properly tested and build a plan around your actual levels.