A nutritionist wants Vitamin D supplements added to food to help cut the nation's rates of bowel cancer.
Vitamin D can help fight bowel disease. Photo: 123RF
Lynn Ferguson, from Auckland University's Cancer Society Research Centre, said New Zealanders were staying out of the sun at higher rates than before, so another source of Vitamin D was required.
Professor Ferguson said too much Vitamin D could also have adverse effects, but supplements could help fight bowel disease.
"The American Institute of Cancer Research - a very conservative body - the one source of dietary supplementation that they're recommending (which) might be thought about as a cancer preventive is Vitamin D."
She said if the Government subsidised a programme of Vitamin D-fortified food, there would be fewer people in hospital with bowel diseases - which would reduce the strain on the health budget.