Scotland's poor health record could be directly linked to a lack of sunshine, a science expert said today.

Dr Oliver Gillie called for a national campaign to urge people to take a daily dose of vitamin D in a bid 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, Scotland's Health Deficit: An Explanation and a Plan, Dr Gillie, a London-based researcher and writer, called for "urgent action" by the Scottish Government.

This, he said, could include a campaign to encourage people to take a daily dose of the vitamin.

He also suggested that doctors should be able to prescribe stronger doses of vitamin D and that "megadoses" containing up to 50 times the current daily dose could be taken.

Dr Gillie, who is also a freelance medical journalist, 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.

Scotland has an extreme climate characterised by very little sunshine - it gets as little sunshine as some places in the Arctic Circle Oliver Gillie

"But vitamin D has received little or no attention from policy-makers in Scotland.

"This report calls for urgent action by Scotland's Government to take new measures that will give the country its best chance of improving health and of catching up with other European countries that have more favourable climates.

"They need to revise advice to people. This is a problem that can be solved if they have got the political will to do it."

Dr Gillie's research involved examining levels of vitamin D across Europe and mortality rates from certain diseases.

He added that vitamin D supplements could be placed in foods such as bread, orange juice and milk.

"It also needs to be easier for GPs to prescribe vitamin D," he said.

"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: "Oliver Gillie has made an important contribution to the debate on Scotland's health.

"The Scottish Government has already been considering the evidence on vitamin D and has already arranged a meeting of experts in the field for later this year to consider the significance of existing research and to recommend what further action is required.

"It is important that attempts to improve health in Scotland remain focussed on action on the social, economic, behavioural and psychological determinants of health.

"If vitamin D supplements can be shown to contribute to that agenda then we will make the appropriate recommendations."

Scottish Conservative health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon said: "Given that the chief medical officer has endorsed the importance of, and noted the lack of, vitamin D in Scots, I hope that the Scottish Government will now respond.

"Given the evidential base which concludes that the shortage of the 'sunshine vitamin' is a factor in higher rates of MS, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and several types of cancer as well as cardiovascular disease and other ailments, surely it is time for the Government to issue further advice to people living in Scotland."

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Ross Finnie said: "People in Scotland need to understand that a bottle of pills is not the answer to preventing ill health.

"A healthier diet with more fruit and vegetables and less alcohol along with regular exercise is the best way to a healthier Scotland.

"Nevertheless Dr Gillie has raised an interesting point about vitamin D deficiencies.

"I am pleased that a panel of experts is looking into this and look forward to a response from the chief medical officer when this panel has reported."