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Ray Of Hope For Sun-Starved Scots By Sky News SkyNews - Monday, September 15 02:49 pm Scotland's poor health record could be directly linked to a lack of sunshine, an expert believes. Dr Oliver Gillie wants a national campaign to urge people to take a daily dose of vitamin D to help tackle the health problem. In a new study, the scientist and writer linked the "extreme" Scottish weather to vitamin D deficiency, which is caused by low exposure to sunlight. Medics have already established a lack of the vitamin as a factor in diseases such as cancer and heart disease, of which Scotland has some of the highest levels in Europe. In his study, Dr Gillie, a science researcher and writer, called for "urgent action" by the Scottish Government. He said: "Scotland has an extreme climate characterised by very little sunshine - it gets as little sunshine as some places in the Arctic Circle. "Its people have low levels of vitamin D because most vitamin D comes from the effect of sun on skin. Scots also have high levels of chronic illness - among the highest in the world. "But vitamin D has received little or no attention from policy-makers in Scotland. "This is a problem that can be solved if (there's) the political will to do it." Vitamin D supplements could be placed in foods such as bread, orange juice and milk, he adds. "In France they take megadoses. This is something that could be considered and included in guidelines." Scotland's chief medical officer, Dr Harry Burns, said: "The Scottish Government has already been considering the evidence on vitamin D and has already arranged a meeting of experts for later this year... to recommend what further action is required."