Insufficient vitamin D intake may increase the risk of metabolic bone disease in orthopedic patients, according to a study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.

A nutrient that helps the body absorb calcium, vitamin D also helps with growth and remodeling of the bones. Individuals who suffer from a vitamin D deficiency are more apt to develop brittle, thin and misshaped bones.

In order to determine the affects of insufficient vitamin D levels, researchers enrolled a total of 723 orthopedic patients into a study. All participants had been previously cleared for elective surgeries on their ankles, hands, hips, knees, feet or vertebra.

The investigators found that 57 percent of the patients had sufficient levels of the nutrient, 28 percent had low vitamin D intake and 15 percent had developed a vitamin D deficiency. As a result, two out of every five patients had poor levels of the nutrient, which increased their likelihood of being diagnosed with metabolic bone disease.

This study serves as “a wake-up call to orthopedists that vitamin D deficiency is widespread, [and] screening for it should be part of routine pre-surgical care for adults,” said Joseph M. Lane, co-author of the trial.

People who want to increase their vitamin D intake can benefit from taking supplements as well as eating foods enriched with the nutrient, including milk and other dairy products, fish, broccoli and mushrooms.