Canadian Doctors Alerted to Increasing Cases of Scurvy Amid Rising Food Insecurity

Scurvy, a disease historically associated with sailors from centuries past, has resurfaced as a modern health concern in Canada. The resurgence is attributed to growing food insecurity, prompting medical professionals to stay vigilant. This warning follows a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) detailing the diagnosis of a 65-year-old woman with scurvy in Toronto last year.

The case was documented by Dr. Sally Engelhart, an internal medicine specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. Dr. Engelhart stated, “This isn’t the first case of scurvy that I’ve seen in my career so far,” emphasizing the need for awareness among physicians, especially for patients prone to nutrient deficiencies, such as those with low socioeconomic status and isolated older adults.

Scurvy arises from an acute deficiency of vitamin C, which is abundant in citrus fruits and vegetables like broccoli and spinach. The CMAJ connects scurvy with food insecurity, where financial constraints force individuals to forgo meals or consume less nutritious food. Although Canadian statistics are unclear on the disease’s rise, it has notably tripled among U.S. children between 2016 and 2020.

Dr. Andrew Boozary from the University of Toronto highlighted the broader health implications of food insecurity, saying, “There is a real continuum of serious health conditions that food insecurity really exacerbates.” Boozary pointed to alarming statistics from Statistics Canada, which reported that 16.9% of Canadians experienced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2022, up from 12.9% in 2021.

The Toronto woman’s case illustrates these issues; isolated and with restricted mobility, her diet consisted mainly of canned foods, lacking fresh produce. Symptoms of scurvy, such as fatigue and bleeding gums, can develop within 8 to 12 weeks of inadequate vitamin C intake. Untreated, it can lead to severe complications like internal bleeding.

Researchers at McMaster University found vitamin C deficiency levels concerning in the Canadian population, with 52 patients exhibiting low levels in a study. Similar concerns have been recorded in the UK, where vitamin C deficiency affects a significant portion of low-income populations.

Dr. Engelhart’s report emphasizes that scurvy, though rare, should not be dismissed as a mere relic of the past. It points to the compounding issue of food insecurity that exacerbates health conditions, calling for greater awareness among healthcare professionals to identify and treat potential cases effectively.