Sunlight deprivation among Sudanese refugee children re-located to less-sunny parts of southern Australia has led to skyrocketing incidence of rickets — further evidence that sunlight deprivation is the main reason rickets is returning in the population.

“There was a seasonal variation and the further south you go in Australia the less vitamin D you get from the sun, especially during winter,” Endocrinologist Dr. Craig Munns told the Australian press about a study published this week in the Medical Journal of Australia.

The incidence of the condition for patients of Sudanese background is estimated to be 350 times greater than the national population, the study found.

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