Vitamin D Beliefs and Associations with Sunburns, Sun Exposure, and Sun Protection

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2012, 9(7), 2386-2395; doi:10.3390/ijerph9072386

Article

Bang Hyun Kim1, bangk@upenn.edu, Karen Glanz 1 and Eric J. Nehl 2

1 Center for Health Behavior Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 110 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Ave., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

2 Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30222, USA

Received: 30 April 2012; in revised form: 12 June 2012 / Accepted: 28 June 2012 / Published: 4 July 2012

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sunbathing Habits and Skin Cancer)

Abstract: The main objective of this study was to examine certain beliefs about vitamin D and associations with sun exposure, sun protection behaviors, and sunburns. A total of 3,922 lifeguards, pool managers, and parents completed a survey in 2006 about beliefs regarding vitamin D and sun-related behaviors. Multivariate ordinal regression analyses and linear regression analysis were used to examine associations of beliefs and other variables. Results revealed that Non-Caucasian lifeguards and pool managers were less likely to agree that they needed to go out in the sun to get enough vitamin D.

Lifeguards and parents who were non-Caucasian were less likely to report that sunlight helped the body to produce vitamin D.

A stronger belief about the need to go out in the sun to get enough vitamin D predicted more sun exposure for lifeguards.

For parents, a stronger belief that they can get enough vitamin D from foods predicted greater sun protection and a stronger belief that sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D predicted lower sun exposure. This study provides information regarding vitamin D beliefs and their association with certain sun related behaviors across different demographic groups that can inform education efforts about vitamin D and sun protection.

PDF is attached at the bottom of this page

See also VitaminDWiki

• Complex relationship between UVB and vitamin D – April 2012
  • This article may result in a re-write of this web page. It questions many of the assumptions made here about
  • Amount of skin area, color or skin, obesity, etc. There are several reasons why the study may be wrong however.

• All items in category Sun and vitamin D items

• Urban residents had 2X less vitamin D – 2008

• 4X more suburban UV than urban UV – Nov 2010

• all items in Category Deficiency of D items

• An overview analysis of the time people spend outdoors – Dec 2010

• Melanoma risk with sunburns - 2010.PDF

• UVB causes sunburn - UVA causes melanoma - 2011.PDF

• Poor knowledge by office workers of vitamin D and sunscreen - July 2010

• Scared Out of the Sun for Fifty Years – Jan 2011

• Overview Suntans and melanoma

• Increased UVB intensity did not increase vitamin D generated – Nov 2010

  • Is there a limit as to how much vitamin D the body will produce over a several day time period? replenish cholesterol?

• For small amounts of sunshine the amount of skin exposed may not matter – Jan 2011

• Minutes in the Sun for 1000 IU default 30 degrees North

  • Face 3.5%, neck 2%, trunk 26%, hands 6%, arms 14%, legs 14%, thighs 18%

• Sun increases but tanning bed decreases longevity - April 2011 PDF file

• UV calculators on the web

• Many reasons why vitamin D deficiency has become epidemic in past 30-40 years

• Weekly UV almost doubled elderly Vitamin D levels to 20 ng – Dec 2010

• Tanning while getting little vitamin D

• Whites were 2X more likely to be vitamin D deficient if wear long sleeves – Jan 2012

  • No decrease, however, for reported use of sunscreen

• UK survey of vitamin D knowledge of midwives - 2011

• Survey of patient and doctor vitamin D knowledge - Nov 2010

• 28 pct of dark skinned people in UK not heard of vitamin D and 54 pct not know symptoms – Jan 2012

• UK pediatricians have a lot to learn about vitamin D – May 2012

• 15 minutes of education improved vitamin D compliance – Mar 2012

• After learning they were vitamin D deficient, only 8 percent normalized – April 2012

See also web

• Sun-seeking behavior to increase cutaneous vitamin D synthesis: when prevention messages conflict 2011 full text on-line
  • 30 % were aware that unprotected sun exposure increased vitamin D levels.
  • Women were a little more aware of this interaction than men (32 % vs. 28 %)
  • 42 % of people who took vitamin D supplements were aware of the vitamin D-sun exposure interaction