This large study of UK Biobank data from 419,007 adults found that higher habitual UV exposure was associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and non-skin cancer mortality, with clear dose-response trends. Critically, higher UV exposure showed no meaningful increase in skin cancer mortality. Counterfactual modeling quantified the trade-off directly: shifting the entire population to high UV exposure would prevent approximately 5,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease and internal cancers at the cost of only a few dozen additional skin cancer deaths - a net survival benefit ratio of roughly 100 to 1.
Proteomic analysis in a 44,712-person subcohort identified the biological mechanisms as operating primarily through three non-vitamin D pathways - immunoregulatory, mucosal-barrier, and cardiorenal-neuroendocrine - confirming that the mortality benefits of UV exposure cannot be replicated by oral vitamin D supplementation. The authors conclude that current public health guidance, which frames sunlight primarily as a skin cancer hazard to be avoided, is inconsistent with the weight of evidence and warrants reappraisal. Limitations include the observational design, a White European-only cohort, and preprint status pending peer review.
Builds upon this published research:
Higher ultraviolet light exposure is associated with lower mortality: An analysis of data from the UK biobank cohort study
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353829224001564