Qataris continue to suffer from a Vitamin D deficiency, despite the abundant availability of sunshine here, a new HMC survey of its employees has found.

It was not clear how many people were involved in the survey, but some 90 percent of respondents were deficient in the “sunshine vitamin.”

The Peninsula reports:

Vitamin D plays a key role in keeping particularly children immune from diabetes and regulates blood pressure and heartbeat in humans.

Dr Izzat Mohamed Khanjar, consultant of rheumatic ailments at HMC, told QNA that to make sure that one does not have vitamin D deficiency one should expose one’s face, calves and both the hands and palms to sunlight for at least 30 minutes a day.

Those with darker skin, he added, should expose themselves to the sun longer, because it will take more time to absorb light.

Previous studies have also shown significant Vitamin D deficiencies in Qatar University students and in children.

The question of why locals stay out of the sun, however, has yet to be addressed.

Thoughts?