Scurvy is a disease that likely conjures up images of sickly sailors from hundreds of years ago, but doctors in Canada are being warned to look out for the condition now, as a result of growing food insecurity. Scurvy results from having a severe deficiency of vitamin C. Natural sources of vitamin C — also known as ascorbic acid — include citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons, and vegetables such as broccoli and spinach. The CMAJ report draws links between scurvy and food insecurity — when low income forces someone to skip meals or reduce the nutritional value of the food they eat. Not an 'archaic diagnosis'The authors of the CMAJ report say scurvy should not be considered only an archaic diagnosis of 18th-century seafarers. There is a real continuum of serious health conditions that food insecurity really exacerbates, said Boozary in an interview.
