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Low sun exposure habits is associated with a dose-dependent increased risk of hypertension : a report from the large MISS cohort

Lindqvist, Pelle G. LU ; Landin-Olsson, M. LU and Olsson, H. LU orcid (2021) In Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences 20(2). p.285-292
Abstract

In prospective observational cohort studies, increasing sun exposure habits have been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality. Our aim was to assess possible observational mechanisms for this phenomenon. A written questionnaire was answered by 23,593 women in the year 2000 regarding risk factors for melanoma, including factors of possible interest for hypertension, such as detailed sun exposure habits, hypertension, marital status, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI, exercise, and chronic high stress. Hypertension was measured by the proxy “use of hypertension medication” 2005–2007, and high stress by “need of anti-depressive medication”. Sun exposure habits was assessed by the number of `yes’ to the following... (More)

In prospective observational cohort studies, increasing sun exposure habits have been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality. Our aim was to assess possible observational mechanisms for this phenomenon. A written questionnaire was answered by 23,593 women in the year 2000 regarding risk factors for melanoma, including factors of possible interest for hypertension, such as detailed sun exposure habits, hypertension, marital status, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI, exercise, and chronic high stress. Hypertension was measured by the proxy “use of hypertension medication” 2005–2007, and high stress by “need of anti-depressive medication”. Sun exposure habits was assessed by the number of `yes’ to the following questions; Do you sunbath during summer?, During winter vacation?, Do you travel south to sunbath?, Or do you use sun bed? Women answering ‘yes’ on one or two questions had moderate and those answering ‘yes’ on three or four as having greatest sun exposure. The main outcome was the risk of hypertension by sun exposure habits adjusted for confounding. As compared to those women with the greatest sun exposure, women with low and moderate sun exposure were at 41% and 15% higher odds of hypertension (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.3‒1.6, p < 0.001 and OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.1‒1.2, p < 0.001), respectively. There was a strong age-related increased risk of hypertension. Other risk factors for hypertension were lack of exercise (OR 1.36), a non-fair phenotype (OR 1.08), chronic high stress level (OR 1.8), and lack of university education (OR 1.3). We conclude that in our observational design sun exposure was associated with a dose-dependent reduced risk of hypertension, which might partly explain the fewer deaths of cardiovascular disease with increasing sun exposure.

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author
; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Cardiovascular disease, Hypertension, Risk factors, Sun exposure, UV radiation
in
Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences
volume
20
issue
2
pages
285 - 292
publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
external identifiers
  • scopus:85100996854
  • pmid:33721253
ISSN
1474-905X
DOI
10.1007/s43630-021-00017-x
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
1d456d5a-f24c-4597-969b-e177103a1129
date added to LUP
2021-03-03 08:38:23
date last changed
2024-06-27 09:35:37
@article{1d456d5a-f24c-4597-969b-e177103a1129,
  abstract     = {{<p>In prospective observational cohort studies, increasing sun exposure habits have been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality. Our aim was to assess possible observational mechanisms for this phenomenon. A written questionnaire was answered by 23,593 women in the year 2000 regarding risk factors for melanoma, including factors of possible interest for hypertension, such as detailed sun exposure habits, hypertension, marital status, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI, exercise, and chronic high stress. Hypertension was measured by the proxy “use of hypertension medication” 2005–2007, and high stress by “need of anti-depressive medication”. Sun exposure habits was assessed by the number of `yes’ to the following questions; Do you sunbath during summer?, During winter vacation?, Do you travel south to sunbath?, Or do you use sun bed? Women answering ‘yes’ on one or two questions had moderate and those answering ‘yes’ on three or four as having greatest sun exposure. The main outcome was the risk of hypertension by sun exposure habits adjusted for confounding. As compared to those women with the greatest sun exposure, women with low and moderate sun exposure were at 41% and 15% higher odds of hypertension (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.3‒1.6, p &lt; 0.001 and OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.1‒1.2, p &lt; 0.001), respectively. There was a strong age-related increased risk of hypertension. Other risk factors for hypertension were lack of exercise (OR 1.36), a non-fair phenotype (OR 1.08), chronic high stress level (OR 1.8), and lack of university education (OR 1.3). We conclude that in our observational design sun exposure was associated with a dose-dependent reduced risk of hypertension, which might partly explain the fewer deaths of cardiovascular disease with increasing sun exposure.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lindqvist, Pelle G. and Landin-Olsson, M. and Olsson, H.}},
  issn         = {{1474-905X}},
  keywords     = {{Cardiovascular disease; Hypertension; Risk factors; Sun exposure; UV radiation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{285--292}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society of Chemistry}},
  series       = {{Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences}},
  title        = {{Low sun exposure habits is associated with a dose-dependent increased risk of hypertension : a report from the large MISS cohort}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s43630-021-00017-x}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s43630-021-00017-x}},
  volume       = {{20}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}