It would be wrong to assume Vitamin D deficiency is not a problem in a sunny country like Australia.
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Because it is, with one in four people Vitamin D deficient.
Rebecca Vearing is keen to find out why Vitamin D deficiency is such a problem here and in other countries around the world.
She explained that the level of Vitamin D deficiency in Australia is higher than people may expect.
"A lot of people don't realise we have a vitamin D problem in Australia, but in fact, around one in four people in Australia have a deficiency," Ms Vearing said.
"This may be because of our fear of skin cancer and therefore sun avoidance. We need to get the balance right between exposure to the sun for good vitamin D status, but avoid risk of skin cancer."
The 25-year-old is working with researchers from the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute on a multi-country study to uncover Vitamin D deficiency.
IHMRI researchers are recruiting participants to be part of a landmark study into vitamin D deficiency.
The study is part of Ms Vearing's PhD project, which looks at vitamin D levels in women around the world, including participants in the UK and Brazil.
"We are trying to figure out what determines vitamin D status," Ms Vearing said.
"We're looking at skin type, latitude, diet, sun exposure and lifestyle factors.
"Our main source of vitamin D comes from the sun, so factors like where you live in the world, as well as sun avoidance because of fear of skin cancer or even religious dress plays a part.
"If we take all of these things into consideration we can think about what recommendations to give people to help with their vitamin D status, and what strategies will work for people in each country and for each skin type."
Vitamin D deficiency is considered a global public health issue.
We need to get the balance right between exposure to the sun for good vitamin D status, but avoid risk of skin cancer.
- Rebecca Vearing
The vitamin aids in calcium absorption to promote healthy bones. Low vitamin D can lead to musculoskeletal conditions like osteoporosis, especially for women who have gone through menopause.
Ms Vearing will examine levels through blood tests, bone density scans, muscle strength tests and a food diary, as well as a device that measures sun exposure.
The Wollongong-based project is identical to a study she completed at the University of Surrey in January, which focused on the African-Carribean population of the UK.
"In the UK, there is little sunlight year-round. If you have darker skin, it takes longer to absorb the same amount of vitamin D compared to a person with lighter skin. This means people with dark skin in the UK are at a higher risk of deficiency, and therefore poor bone health.
"Despite this, they are the only population group in the UK that hadn't been looked at," Ms Vearing said.
Ms Vearing is seeking women aged 18 or older, who are not taking vitamin D supplements or multivitamins containing vitamin D.
Participants have to have lived in the Illawarra for at least the past two months, and not be going through menopause.
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
