Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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597. To ask the Minister for Health if the membership of the public health nutrition sub-committee convened to generate the Food Safety Authority of Ireland report "Vitamin D – Scientific Recommendations for Food-Based Dietary Guidelines for Older Adults in Ireland" included specialist expertise in the areas of immunology, virology, infectious disease or geriatric medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44478/20]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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In 2019 the Department of Health requested the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, through their Scientific Committee, to develop Scientific Recommendations on Food-Based Dietary Guidelines for Older Adults over 65 years.

In May 2020, the FSAI was requested to fast track the current work on Vitamin D and older people to provide an evidence -base to the Department of Health to underpin public health policy for vitamin D supplementation in older people, 65 plus years. The FSAI was asked to:

- Look at the vitamin D requirements for older adults and their current vitamin D intake status.

- Consider how best to achieve vitamin D requirements, taking total vitamin D intake into consideration.

- Determine the older population sub-groups that need vitamin D supplementation.

- Determine the level of supplementation required within these sub-groups and the appropriate vitamin D supplement.

- Consider any special circumstances.

- Deliver scientific advice for population- based guidance to the Department of Health before the end of September.