Scotland's poor health record could be directly linked to its "Arctic" levels of sunshine, an expert has warned.

Dr Oliver Gillie called for a national campaign to urge people to take a daily dose of vitamin D - the "sunshine vitamin" - in a bid to help tackle the country's health problems.

Researchers 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 suggested 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.

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.

"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.

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

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 in the field for later this year to consider the significance of existing research and to recommend what further action is required."

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."

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