Following advice to avoid sun exposure may be harmful to the health of women in countries with low solar intensity, according to new research out of Sweden. Participants that avoided sun exposure had double the all-cause mortality rate of those with the highest sun-exposure habits, including tanning bed use, in the study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.

“We conclude that women who avoid sun exposure are at an increased risk of all-cause death with a two-fold increased mortality rate as compared to those with the highest sun exposures,” the authors wrote. “The implementation of restrictive sun exposure advice in countries with low solar intensity might not be beneficial to women’s health.”

Researchers from Lund University and Karolinska University Hospital obtained detailed information on sun exposure habits and potential confounders from nearly 30,000 Swedish women. There were 2,545 deaths in the 20-year follow-up period, with a -fold increase in mortality rate for sun avoiders compared with those reporting the most sun exposure. The study identified an inverse correlation between all-cause mortality and sun exposure habits in a “dose-dependent” manner. The dose-response association makes it more likely that the relationship is causal rather than just correlative, the researchers noted.

The questionnaire about sun exposure habits included whether and how often they used tanning beds.

Click here to view the study text.

SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can’t say in your tanning salon business.

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