Avoiding Sun as Dangerous as Smoking (2016)
A study of nearly 30,000 Swedish women over 20 years found that avoiding sun exposure can reduce life expectancy similarly to smoking, suggesting moderate sun exposure may be essential for health.
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A study involving nearly 30,000 Swedish women over 20 years has revealed that avoiding sun exposure can be as detrimental to life expectancy as smoking. The research, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, found that women who shunned the sun had a life expectancy reduced by 0.6 to 2.1 years compared to those with high sun exposure. The study's lead author, Dr. Pelle Lindqvist, noted that sun-seekers had a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases and other non-cancer-related illnesses. While the findings challenge the common belief that sun exposure primarily increases skin cancer risk, they suggest that moderate sun exposure may be essential for health. The study also highlighted that Sweden's strict sun avoidance guidelines could be misguided, especially given the country's low UV index for much of the year. The researchers acknowledged limitations, such as the inability to distinguish between sun exposure and other healthy lifestyle factors. The role of vitamin D in these health outcomes remains uncertain, indicating a need for further research. Overall, the study emphasizes the potential health risks associated with excessive sun avoidance.
- Avoiding sun exposure may reduce life expectancy similarly to smoking.
- Moderate sun exposure is linked to lower risks of cardiovascular and other diseases.
- Sweden's sun avoidance guidelines may need reevaluation based on health findings.
- The study highlights the need for further research on vitamin D's role in health.
- Limitations in the study include the inability to separate sun exposure from other lifestyle factors.
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3 comments> The authors do, however, acknowledge some major limitations. Among them, it was impossible to differentiate between active sun-exposure habits and a healthy lifestyle, and they did not have access to exercise data.
Generally the way this is explained is that a base tan provides ~4 SPF of protection, which is far less than the recommended 15-30 SPF of sunscreens. I believe I read once that 4 SPF is only good for maybe 15 minutes of protection.
What I haven't seen explained (and what I want to learn) is how the body's "sun timer" resets. If I'm in the sun for 15 minutes and then go in the shade, how long does it take before I can spend another 15 minutes in the sun? If I'm hiking in a forest, I wouldn't be surprised if 15 minutes of protection is enough to completely avoid sunburn, since you're constantly going back and forth between sun and shade.
Another thing I want to clarify is mutation risk vs sunburn. Does a base tan protect you from mutations at all? I'm not actually sure.
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