Toronto Conference Targets the Vitamin D Deficiency Crisis
Ontario health care professionals will hear firsthand from some of the world's leading vitamin D experts about the current vitamin D deficiency crisis in North America at an international conference on the diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency in Toronto November 3. The physicians and researchers in the vitamin D field are presenting information that looks at the current research and practice with vitamin D to enable everyone to take action today, based on what's known to solve the deficiency epidemic and to start the prevention of many diseases.
Toronto, Ontario (PRWEB) October 31, 2009
Ontario health care professionals will hear firsthand from some of the world's leading vitamin D experts about the current vitamin D deficiency crisis in North America at an international conference on the diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency in Toronto November 3.
The event, "Diagnosis and Treatment of Vitamin Deficiency:" will be held at the Faculty Club at the University of Toronto School of Medicine from 8 a. m. - 5 p. m. and is organized by GrassrootsHealth.
The physicians and researchers in the vitamin D field are presenting information that looks at the current research and practice with vitamin D to enable everyone to take action today, based on what's known to solve the deficiency epidemic and to start the prevention of many diseases.
GrassrootsHealth founder Carole Baggerly says she organized the conference to focus on how to address the vitamin D deficiency crisis.
"What public health action could you take today that could possibly stop breast cancer and colon cancer, prevent type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis, and reduce the incidence of infectious diseases? What would be the economic impact of this action? The answer is greater awareness of your vitamin D level."
GrassrootsHealth has launched a worldwide public health campaign to solve the vitamin D deficiency epidemic through a focus on testing and education.
The effects of vitamin D deficiency are known to be profound and especially acute in Canada.
"With an estimated 97 per cent of Canadians deficient at some point during the year due to weak sun exposure, we are at increased risk for a number of serious illnesses including as many as 22 forms of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and multiple sclerosis, as well as common colds and flus," says Dr. Reinhold Vieth, Associate Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, and Director of the Bone and Mineral Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital.
Researchers and scientists participating in the conference include: Reinhold Vieth, Ph. D. (University of Toronto, Mt. Sinai Hospital), Dr. Robert Heaney (Creighton University) and Cedric Garland, Dr., P. H., F. A.C. E, an epidemiologist and a professor of family and preventive medicine at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, Tracey O'Connor, MD, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, John White, Ph. D. professor of physiology and medicine at McGill University and Susan Whiting, Ph. D. from the University of Saskatchewan.
About GrassrootsHealth
GrassrootsHealth, an advocacy organization which launched the D*action Community Project to solve the vitamin D deficiency crisis, is based in San Diego. The D*action Community Project is a consortium of more than 30 scientists, institutions and individuals committed to solving the worldwide vitamin D deficiency epidemic. More information is available at www. grassrootshealth. net.
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