Scurvy return in North America and Australia blamed on rising cost of living

Scurvy, the disease associated with 18th-century sailors, is making a surprising comeback.

The condition, caused by a vitamin C deficiency, can lead to loose teeth, lethargy, reopening of old wounds, internal bleeding, and if left untreated, death. After the cause was identified, the British Royal Navy gave its sailors citrus fruit to stave off the disease, earning them the nickname “limeys,” and the practice spread.

But a July study found that reported cases in children in the US more than tripled between 2016 and 2020, and scurvy was also detected in Canada and Australia. Scurvy remains rare, but a new medical report attributed its comeback to a rise in weight loss surgeries and diets lacking in fruit and vegetables owing to the cost-of-living crisis.