Final answer:
Shipowners' efforts to save money on voyages led to inadequate nutrition for sailors, particularly a lack of vitamin C, which caused a higher risk of scurvy among crews.
Step-by-step explanation:
Shipowners' concern about saving money exacerbated the problem of scurvy because they often sought to minimize expenses on long sea voyages, which included food provisions. Unfortunately, the cheapest foods available were non-perishable items like salted meat and hardtack, which lacked the vitamin C essential for preventing scurvy.
Fresh fruits and vegetables that could prevent the disease were more expensive and spoiled quickly, leading shipowners to opt for the longer-lasting, but nutritionally inadequate, options for their crews. This cost-saving measure meant that sailors were at a much higher risk of developing scurvy due to their vitamin C deficient diet.