Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice
Volume 90, Issue 1 , Pages 109-114, October 2010

Are active sun exposure habits related to lowering risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in women, a prospective cohort study?

  • Pelle G. Lindqvist

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clintec, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Kvinnokliniken K 57, SE-14186 Stockholm, Sweden
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +46 708 992545/46 8 58581628; fax: +46 8 58587568.
    • ,
  • Håkan Olsson

      Affiliations

    • Department of Oncology and Cancer Epidemiology, Lund University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
    • ,
  • Mona Landin-Olsson

      Affiliations

    • Department of Endocrinology, Clinical Science, Lund University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

Received 1 April 2010; received in revised form 28 May 2010; accepted 7 June 2010. published online 12 July 2010.

Abstract 

Aim

An inverse relationship exists between vitamin D levels and diabetes mellitus. However, little is known about the correlation of sun exposure habits and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods

A South Swedish cohort study comprising 1000 women from each age group between 25 and 64 (n=40,000) drawn from the Southern Swedish population registry 1990–1992. At the inception of the study 74% answered the inquiry (n=29,518) and provided detailed information on their sun exposure habits and other variables. A follow-up inquiry was sent 2000–2002 which 24,098 women answered. The mean follow-up time was 11 years. Logistic regression analysis was used and the main outcome was the relationship between type 2 DM and sun exposure habits.

Results

Our findings indicated that women with active sun exposure habits were at a 30% lower risk of having DM, as compared to those with non-active habits. There was an inverse relation between this risk reduction and BMI.

Conclusion

Our investigation gives possible epidemiological explanation to ethnic and seasonal differences in type 2 DM and metabolic control. The study supports that sunlight is involved in the glucose metabolism.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Sun habits, BMI, Exercise, Cohort study: epidemiology

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PII: S0168-8227(10)00304-9

doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2010.06.007

Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice
Volume 90, Issue 1 , Pages 109-114, October 2010

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