Lack of Sunlight as Dangerous as Smoking Tobacco

A groundbreaking study recently published in the Journal of Internal Medicine has unveiled a remarkable discovery regarding the impact of sunlight on human health. According to this study, a lack of sunlight exposure could be just as detrimental to our well-being as smoking cigarettes.

The research, titled “Avoidance of Sun Exposure as a Risk Factor for Major Causes of Death: A Competing Risk Analysis of the Melanoma in Southern Sweden Cohort,” was conducted by a team of Swedish scientists who examined a population of nearly 30,000 women. Over a span of 20 years, they analyzed the correlation between sun exposure and the risk of mortality from various causes within the Melanoma in Southern Sweden (MISS) cohort, consisting of women aged 25 to 64 years at the study’s inception from 1990 to 1992. Using advanced survival statistics, they made several noteworthy observations.

Firstly, the researchers found that women who actively sought sun exposure were generally at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and noncancer/non-CVD-related deaths compared to those who avoided sunlight.

Secondly, due to their improved survival rates, these sun-exposed women had a relatively higher proportion of cancer-related deaths. This finding may initially seem perplexing, but it can be better understood when considering that cancer risk tends to increase with age. Since increased sunlight exposure actually extends lifespan, it can create the appearance of an elevated cancer risk. However, it is important to note that sunlight itself may not necessarily be inherently “carcinogenic,” as commonly believed.

Considering that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of premature death in developed nations, sunlight’s ability to reduce this prevalent cause of mortality outweighs its potential increase in the risk of the second most common cause of death (cancer). Consequently, overall exposure to sunlight promotes longer life expectancy, which helps contextualize and counterbalance the often observed “increased cancer risk.” It is worth noting that a significant number of cancers are overdiagnosed and overtreated, with insufficient recognition by the medical establishment, whose responsibility is seldom addressed. These overdiagnosed “cancers,” particularly breast, prostate, thyroid, lung, and ovarian cancers, significantly inflate the statistics. With millions of such early-stage cancers erroneously diagnosed and treated, comprehending the relationship between sunlight exposure and cancer risk becomes increasingly complex.