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A comment on SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating Vitamin D levels. Parent comment

Re:SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating V... by microcolonel on Saturday September 19, 2020 @11:30AM (#24528077)
> I find the idea that you can label a group as "black" and imagine it to be both descriptive and homegenous enough...

No, the whole distinction of black is dark skin colour, which is a proxy for skin melanin, which is (far as I'm aware) the primary factor determining vitamin D production from sun exposure (which is not directly useful in the body, but is the form that is often measured).

Also, because of the effect on vitamin D production from sun exposure, there is some evidence that other aspects of how vitamin D is handled by the body are different for people with darker skin, maybe because their ancestors got more than enough of it.

This isn't even about social categories “Black” and “White”, it is literally about the direct correlates of skin colour.

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Re:SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating V... by kipchak on Saturday September 19, 2020 @11:53AM (#24528276)
>This isn't even about social categories “Black” and “White”, it is literally about the direct correlates of skin colour. To expand upon this according to an ONS study "Blacks" in England and whales had a 1.9 times higher rate of dying compared to "Whites" after socioeconomic controls, while Pakistani and Bangladeshi ethnic groups were 1.6 times more likely.[1] This makes sense if you figure lighter skin was a evolved trait for those in latitudes that got less sun. [2]

[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsde...

[2]https://www.pnas.org/content/107/Supplement_2/8962

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Re:SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating V... by secondcoming on Saturday September 19, 2020 @12:31PM (#24528585)
Whales?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating V... by Bud on Saturday September 19, 2020 @12:42PM (#24528672)
Let's assume that was just a particularly hilarious typo for "Wales".
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Re:SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating V... by kipchak on Saturday September 19, 2020 @07:29PM (#24530965)
Indeed, though thinking about it people living in "whales" would probably have low vitamin D levels as well.
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Re:SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating V... by umanwizard on Saturday September 19, 2020 @07:57PM (#24531074)
I spent about 3 seconds wondering why in the world you were talking about whale vitamin-D levels, and thinking it was vaguely offensive that you were comparing ethnic/racial groups of humans to marine mammals.

Then I remembered that Wales exists :)

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating V... by singemonkey on Saturday September 19, 2020 @11:39AM (#24528160)
I mean, black and dark skin colour are overlapping sets, but the word black doesn't define everyone with dark(er) skin.

If you mean darker skin (darker than what???) then use that term.

Accuracy is important.

[ Parent | on HN ]