Study Urges Public Health to Embrace Sunlight Benefits
TORONTO – Just weeks after research warned Canadians that vitamin D deficiency was costing Canadian healthcare $12.5B annually by leading to a higher risk of developing life-threatening illnesses, a new study from the US is supporting the Canadian research and challenging conventional sun exposure advice. The study calls for public health organizations to re-evaluate their current message of sun avoidance and to promote non-burning sun exposure for vitamin D and other health benefits.
The recently published study, written by one of the most qualified and diverse groups of researchers in the fields of pigment cell research, photobiology, melanoma research, dermatology and vitamin D, “The Risks and Benefits of Sun Exposure 2016” by David G. Hoel, Marianne Berwick, Frank R. de Gruijl and Michael F. Holick, has found that insufficient sun exposure is an emerging public health risk.
Published in Dermato-Endocrinology, the report says that the current state of the science behind the risks and benefits of sun exposure suggests that public health advice should be changed to recommend that all men, women and children accumulate sufficient non-burning sun exposure to maintain their vitamin D blood levels at 75 nmol/L (30 ng/ml) especially in northern climates. The research goes further, reporting about the positive benefits of vitamin D and outlines how many other photoproducts produced by sunlight exposure are beneficial to our health.
In Canada, lab tests relied upon by doctors, consider the sufficient vitamin D blood level range to be between 75 to 150 nmol/L or higher in some provinces. Currently 65% of Canadians, or 2 out of every 3, do not meet the 75 nmol/L vitamin D blood level and have insufficient vitamin D levels.
“The results of our study show that to live a healthier life, it’s important for North Americans to increase their vitamin D levels through non-burning sun exposure,” says Dr. Michael Holick, Scientific Advisor for the Vitamin D Society and Professor of Medicine at Boston University Medical Center. “Insufficient sun exposure has become a major public health problem, demanding an immediate change in the current sun-avoidance public health advice. Generating vitamin D with non-burning exposure to the sun every day or under artificial UVB sources can help prevent the development of serious diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and others. Remember that the UV index must be above 3 and your shadow shorter than you are to produce vitamin D from the sun.”
A new Canadian study reported that increasing vitamin D intake could spare 23,000 Canadians premature deaths annually and save Canada $12.5 billion in healthcare spending and associated costs. The study found that Canadians vitamin D levels have been dropping due to lower sunlight exposure putting more people at risk of life-threatening illnesses.
“More and more research is being published urging individuals to increase their vitamin D levels through non-burning sun exposure,” says Perry Holman, Executive Director of the Vitamin D Society. We need to start looking at UV exposure differently and embrace the benefits while controlling for the risks of overexposure.”
Canadians can get their vitamin D levels checked by their physicians, or online, through a simple 25(OH)D blood test to ensure they aren’t deficient.
About the Vitamin D Society:
The Vitamin D Society is a Canadian non-profit group organized to increase awareness of the many health conditions strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency; encourage people to be proactive in protecting their health and have their vitamin D levels tested annually; and help fund valuable vitamin D research. The Vitamin D Society recommends people achieve and maintain optimal 25(OH)D blood levels between 100 – 150 nmol/L (Can) or 40-60 ng/ml (USA).
To learn more about vitamin D, please visit www.vitamindsociety.org
Sun Life Financial, Fitbit and new rewards for daily steps contribute to app's growth
Canada's celebrated wellness incentives app, Carrot Rewards, recently introduced new initiatives and partnerships as part of its long-term growth strategy.
A new daily step tracker feature allows users of the popular free app to earn rewards for achieving their personalized walking goals. A large majority of BC users are already earning daily rewards for walking and nearly ten billion steps taken by British Columbians this summer have been tracked and rewarded through the Carrot app.
Starting today the Carrot app will also be integrated with the industry leading activity tracking device, Fitbit. BC residents will now have one more convenient option for connecting and earning daily activity rewards through Carrot (in addition to Health Kit and Google Fit).
Also starting today Sun Life Financial, in close collaboration with the Canadian Diabetes Association, is proudly joining the broader Carrot coalition in British Columbia as the sponsor of all the Steps rewards that BC residents earn through the app.
"Thousands of British Columbians have already taken steps toward a healthier lifestyle with the Carrot Rewards app," Government of British Columbia Health Minister Terry Lake said. "We know that increased activity can have positive benefits for our health and, thanks to these new partnerships, there are now even more incentives to get people moving and receive rewards for healthy behaviour."
"We're proud to be expanding the Carrot eco-system and functionality so significantly again," says CARROT insights (developer of Carrot Rewards) CEO Andreas Souvaliotis. "By joining hands with genuine game-changer organizations like Sun Life, Fitbit and the Canadian Diabetes Association, we are further enhancing the effectiveness of our powerful program and we're helping build an even healthier Canada."
"One in three Canadians is affected by diabetes or prediabetes," says Rick Blickstead, President and CEO, Canadian Diabetes Association. "The good news is that in many of the cases, type 2 diabetes can be delayed and/or prevented with healthier eating or increased physical activity. By partnering with Carrot and Sun Life, we hope to encourage people to take charge of their health and be rewarded for achieving a healthy lifestyle."
Sun Life is committed to the prevention of diabetes and its related complications. Since announcing support of the cause in late 2012, Sun Life has proudly committed over $13 million towards diabetes awareness, prevention, care and research initiatives.
"Sun Life is proud to partner with CARROT Insights and the Canadian Diabetes Association in supporting this unique health initiative in British Columbia," says Chris Denys, SVP Possibilities, Digital Health Solutions, Sun Life Financial Canada. "It aligns with our mission to proactively engage Canadians and empower them to take a more active role in managing their health and well-being."
The Carrot Rewards app has seen significant success since it launched in BC six months ago. To date, nearly 2% of British Columbians have downloaded the app and have earned over a hundred million loyalty points just for learning how to live healthier and for achieving simple daily activity goals. Carrot is now being rolled out across the rest of Canada with similarly impressive results.
The Government of Canada, through the Public Health Agency of Canada, invested $5 million over five years in the Carrot Rewards app project. The Government of British Columbia provided $2.5 million to support the early launch of the app in B.C. Including contributions from the private sector, a total of more than $15 million has already been invested in this world-leading program.
Learn More:
Carrot Rewards: https://www.carrotrewards.ca/
CARROT insights: www.carrotinsights.com
Sun Life: https://www.sunlife.ca/diabetes
Public Health Agency of Canada: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/
Canadian Diabetes Association: www.diabetes.ca
Heart and Stroke Foundation: www.heartandstroke.com
YMCA Canada: www.ymca.ca
