Edinburgh: The health benefits of exposure to sunlight may outweigh the risks of skin cancer, a new study has found.
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have discovered that high exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes a reduction in deaths from cancer and cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.
The researchers believe that adapting public health guidelines to both risks and benefits could help improve life expectancy in countries with low sunlight such as Scotland.
They said the benefits of UV exposure may outweigh the risks in countries with less sunlight. However, they urge people to continue to take preventive measures to prevent sunburn and skin cancer.
Experts commenting on the report said it is important to avoid causation, and noted that other factors may have contributed to the results.
Scientists used data from the UK Biobank to examine the UV exposure of 395,000 people of white European background. However, the ‘limits’ were raised by the observers as the participants were between 37 and 73 years of age at the time of inclusion in the study.
For example, living in places with high UV levels, such as Cornwall in England’s troubled southwest tip, was associated with a 19 percent and 12 percent lower risk of heart disease and cancer death, respectively, according to the report.
