Research task (STEM):
Pretend that you are a senior research fellow at a national public health institute and create a comprehensive research report about the health benefits of outdoor exposure and Vitamin D today. 

In the report explain to the regular public recent research from peer reviewed journals to provide a clear, actionable overview of the topic.

Provide a high level overview of the report's key findings (and recommendations), explain any interconnected relationship, clearly differentiate between the physiological benefits derived specifically from Vitamin D and the independent benefits derived from being outdoors, provide a detailed analysis of the benefits and specific health considerations for different demographics (different ages, different sex), and for each group, cite at least one unique benefit or risk.

Also include quantifiable recommendations. Detail the recommended duration of sun exposure, accounting for different variables. Provide the consensus daily supplemental intake recommendations in IU and clearly differentiate between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3. 

Finally summarize the primary health risks associated with both underexposure and overexposure of sun/vitamin D. Mention some mitigation strategies to avoid both.

Evaluation rubric:
criterion: The response cites at least two specific examples of research where more sunlight or vitamin D led to better health outcomes (e.g., for COVID patients (Association Between Vitamin D and COVID-19–Related Outcomes: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses), for autoimmune system compromised patients (The Schematic Assessment of Vitamin D Deficiency in Relation to Autoimmune Disorders and Its Implications in Internal Medicine), for pregnant people (The Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation During Pregnancy on Maternal, Neonatal, and Infant Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis), depressed people (Nutritional interventions in depression: The role of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids in neuropsychiatric health).).
weight: 3
axis: References & Citation Quality

criterion: The response is written in the tone of a senior research fellow (e.g., academic style, authoritative figure, relatively formal, attention to details and nuances of the technical terms and concepts).
weight: 4
axis: Instruction Following

criterion: The response is written as a comprehensive report with clearly labeled sections including an introduction, body, and conclusion sections (e.g., Introduction, "Understanding Vitamin D", "Difference between Supplementation and Natural Sources", "Recommendation").
weight: 4
axis: Instruction Following

criterion: The response synthesizes recent research (from the last 5–10 years) from peer-reviewed journals (e.g., (1) Association Between Vitamin D and COVID-19–Related Outcomes: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses, (2) Function of vitamin D3-loaded lipid-based nanocarriers in food industry: Principles, applications, and challenges, (3) Single high-dose vitamin D3: a promising sunburn therapy, (4) Age but not vitamin D is related to sarcopenia in vitamin D sufficient male elderly in rural China).
weight: 5
axis: Instruction Following

criterion: The response provides a clear, actionable overview of the report's key findings, including primary benefits, key at-risk populations, and top recommendations (e.g., wear skin protection, check for vitamin D deficiency, eat more vitamin D-rich or fortified food such as milk, recommend older people to more vitamin D through food or supplementation).
weight: 5
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response explains the interconnected relationship between direct sunlight exposure, general time spent outdoors, and vitamin D synthesis (i.e., 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin absorbs UV B radiation and is converted to previtamin D3, which then isomerizes into vitamin D3.).
weight: 4
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response clearly differentiates between the physiological benefits derived specifically from vitamin D (like bone health, immune function) and the independent benefits derived from being outdoors (like mental health effects of nature, physical activity) (e.g., (1) Study shows that heart rate and diastolic blood pressure decreases from being outdoors even when controlled for vitamin D levels, (2) Large randomized controlled trials shows the effects of vitamin D in regulating immune cells, (3) There has been strong evidence that vitamin D is vital for calcium absorption).
weight: 5
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response specifically mentions the benefits of vitamin D regarding muscles, immunity, brain function, and prenatal health (e.g., (1) prevents rickets in children, (2) osteomalacia in adults, (3) reduction of inflammation, (4) promotes calcium absorption in the gut).
weight: 4
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response discusses the potential side effects of vitamin D supplementation beyond toxicity (hypervitaminosis D and hypercalcemia (high blood calcium levels)) (e.g., (1) Cholesterol-lowering statins might not work with excess vitamin D from supplements, (2) Muscle weakness, (3) Not being able to think clearly or quickly, (4) Kidney Stone and Kidney Damage).
weight: 4
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response provides a detailed comparison of the effectiveness of different types of vitamin D delivery methods (e.g., supplements, fortified foods, sun exposure) for various demographics (e.g., (1) Encapsulated vitamin D was observed to have higher bioavailability, (2) vitamin D oral pill affects serum 25(OH)D levels, (3) Skin oil application delivery of vitamin D using a penetrator enhancer, (4) referencing "The efficacy of different vitamin D supplementation delivery methods on serum 25(OH)D: A randomized double-blind placebo trial").
weight: 4
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response provides a detailed analysis of the distinct benefits and specific health considerations for at least 3 different demographics (e.g., (1) Vitamin D supplementation combined with calcium can reduce fractures in the older population, (2) Vitamin D regulates the growth of vaginal epithelial cells and alleviates genitourinary tract problems in menopausal women (Mei et al., 2023) (3) Low levels of vitamin D during intrauterine life increases the risk of diseases such as type 1 diabetes, (4) Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of low birth weight and preterm birth).
weight: 5
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response contains analysis accounting for key variables (e.g., skin type, latitude, and time of day for sun exposure, and gender, sex, and age in general).
weight: 4
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response addresses how socioeconomic status, access to safe outdoor spaces, and geographic location (urban vs. rural) can influence an individual's ability to follow health recommendations, including a discussion of potential disparities in sunlight and vitamin D intake. (e.g., (1) Rural residents are more likely to be vitamin D deficient, (2) Rural residents have higher medical costs compared to urban residents, (3) Vitamin D deficiency in High Latitude Countries, particularly during the winter months, (4) "Low socioeconomic status predicts vitamin D status in a cross-section of Irish children").
weight: 4
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response mentions pregnancy, lactation, or menopause as specific life stage factors.
weight: 3
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response provides specific, quantifiable recommendations, detailing the recommended duration of sun exposure needed to synthesize adequate vitamin D (e.g., recommends approximately 5 to 30 minutes of sun exposure, particularly between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
weight: 4
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response mentions whether most people today get enough sunlight and/or vitamin D (or should supplement) (e.g., (1) In the US, approximately 35% of adults have vitamin D deficiency, (2) Older people produce less vitamin D so have a higher risk of deficiency, (3) Individuals with obesity who have undergone gastric bypass surgery have a higher risk, (4) Darker skin reduce the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight).
weight: 4
axis: Synthesis of Information

criterion: The response provides a detailed comparison of the effectiveness of different types of fortified foods (e.g., milk, orange juice, cereal), discusses varying fortification levels, and compares their efficacy as a delivery method against supplements and sun exposure (e.g., (1) Food fortification significantly improves serum levels and intake, (2) Milk was fortified at 800 IU/day, (3) led to an approximate increase of 8 ng/mL in serum 25-OH D, (4) more cost-effective compared to the cheapest prescription drugs, (5) Better to get vitamin D from vitamin D-fortified foods than to get it solely from sun exposure as it can increase the risk of skin diseases).
weight: 4
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response provides the consensus daily supplemental intake recommendations in IU and clearly differentiates between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 (e.g., 15 to 20 mcg (600–800 IU) for adults and from 10 to 15 mcg (400–600 IU) for infants, children, and adolescents, Vitamin D3 is the recommended (also called cholecalciferol) while Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) can only be obtained from fortified food or dietary supplements).
weight: 5
axis: Synthesis of Information

criterion: The response has a robust summary of key takeaways and lays out clear recommendations based on age, sex, etc (e.g., (1) Recommends 15 to 20 mcg (600–800 IU) for adults and from 10 to 15 mcg (400–600 IU) for infants, children, and adolescents, (2) Vitamin D helps with absorption of Calcium, (3) Sun exposure causes the skin to produce vitamin D naturally, however, this capability goes down with age, (4) Pregnant woman should take vitamin D supplementation).
weight: 4
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response outlines the primary health risks associated with both underexposure (e.g., vitamin D deficiency) and overexposure (e.g., sunburn, photoaging, skin cancer risk).
weight: 5
axis: Explicit Criteria

criterion: The response lays out clear metrics to know if a person is underexposed or overexposed (e.g., (1) Exceeding the recommended daily dosage of vitamin D (15 to 20 mcg (600–800 IU) for adults and from 10 to 15 mcg (400–600 IU) for infants, children, and adolescents), (2) Symptoms of too much vitamin D such as vitamin D headache, (3) About 8 to 10 minutes of sun exposure at noon produces the recommended amount of vitamin D, (4) UV Index of 6 and above is high).
weight: 3
axis: Synthesis of Information

criterion: The response provides, for each risk, at least one evidence-based mitigation strategy (e.g., (1) proper sunscreen application, (2) dietary sources of vitamin D, (3) regular skin checks, (4) fortified foods).
weight: 4
axis: Synthesis of Information

criterion: The response includes a section on the ethical considerations of public health messaging related to sun exposure (e.g., (1) Risk of Skin cancer, (2) skin protection behavior, (3) Skin cancer beliefs, (4) Sunbathing).
weight: 4
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response includes a section on the public health policy implications of the report's findings, considering how recommendations could be translated into policies such as school programs promoting outdoor time, urban planning initiatives, and national supplementation guidelines.
weight: 3
axis: Implicit Criteria

criterion: The response includes a comprehensive analysis of the role of other key nutrients (e.g., Magnesium, vitamin K) that are essential for vitamin D metabolism and bone health (e.g. (1) Magnesium helps with Vitamin D absorption in the GI tract, (2) Vitamin K2 helps deposit absorbed Calcium into bone, (3) Vitamin D helps the body absorb Calcium, (4) Vitamins A and D have the greatest immunemodulatory effect).
weight: 4
axis: Synthesis of Information

criterion: The response explicitly acknowledges the limitations of the existing research and identifies key gaps that require further study, such as the precise optimal vitamin D dosage for different populations and the long-term effects of various supplementation methods.
weight: 4
axis: Synthesis of Information