Welcome to nutrition and families
These pages are brought to you by the Nutrition and Dietetics
Service of Central London Community
Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH).
On these pages you can find information about nutrition for
individuals, families and children.
Read our healthy eating
information for individuals and families where you can find
links to useful information about nutrition for different ages and
stages of life, information about when and how to see a dietitian
and some of the nutrition activities in the borough.
We also work in partnership with people and organisations who
work in the borough such as schools, children’s centres, local
businesses, voluntary and community sector organisations and
health, social care and education staff. Read
our information for organisations
if you or your organisation work with local individuals and
families and would like to find out about how to refer to our
services, the training we offer, the campaigns and programmes we
are working on and how you can promote good nutrition in your
organisation or with the people you work with.
Latest news
Vitamin D deficiency - could you or your child be at
risk?
Did you know that most of our vitamin D comes from the summer
sun? Only a tiny bit (10 per cent) comes from the food we eat even
if we have a healthy diet. Not having enough vitamin D can lead to
bone problems for both adults and children. Local doctors are
seeing more children with rickets which is a condition which
softens bones in children and can lead to deformity and
fractures.
People most at risk of deficiency are:
- pregnant or breastfeeding women
- infants and children under five years of
age
- people with low or no exposure to the sun, for example
those who cover their skin for cultural reasons, who are housebound
or confined indoors for long periods.
- people who have darker skin, for example people of
African, African-Caribbean and South Asian origin
- people with a BMI>30
Pregnant women, new mums and children under five can now get
vitamins containing vitamin D from health centres and children’s
centres in Kensington and Chelsea. If you are on the Healthy Start
scheme you can get them free in exchange for your vitamin coupons
at children’s centres or health centres. If you are pregnant or a
new mum and are not on the scheme you can still buy the Healthy
Start vitamins for a small amount at children’s centres and health
centres for you and your child.
If you are not either pregnant, a new mum or have children under
five, you can pick up supplements containing vitamin D at your
local pharmacy. Check with your pharmacist for the right ones for
you.