Increase in cases of scurvy among children in France – LINFO.re

A critical nutritional deficiency

The scurvya disease once associated with 19th century sailors, is experiencing a worrying resurgence among children in France. A study published by The Lancet reveals a significant increase in cases since 2015, particularly after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Between 2015 and 2023, 888 cases of scurvy were recorded in children, including 532 between 2020 and 2023. This increase, by a third since the pandemic, mainly concerns children aged 5 to 10 living in mainland France. The disease, caused by vitamin C deficiency, is linked to profound malnutrition, exacerbated by socio-economic factors such as inflation and the high cost of food.

A public health problem

Dr Ulrich Meinzer, pediatrician at the Robert Debré hospital in Paris, warns of the scale of this crisis. “There is currently a population of children in France who are exposed to a profound nutritional deficiency. This is a public health problem requiring an urgent response.”, he warned about the story of Franceinfo. Precarious families struggle to access fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, a situation made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. THE scurvy can cause serious symptoms including bone pain, muscle weakness and in some cases bleeding.