Sunlight cuts diabetes risk by 50%: Study

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London: Are you getting enough sunlight? Scientists have now found that Vitamin D deficiency — a common phenomenon among Indians — increase risk of type 1 diabetes. According to a study at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), having adequate levels of vitamin D during young adulthood may reduce the risk of adult-onset type 1 diabetes by 50%.

The findings, if confirmed, could lead to a role for vitamin D supplementation in preventing this disease in adults.

The study provides the strongest findings yet to suggest that vitamin D may protect against type 1 diabetes.

Lead author Kassandra Munger from HSPH said, “A blood test by a doctor measuring the vitamin D levels provides the most accurate assessment. However individuals who avoid direct sun exposure, who wear much clothing to protect themselves from the sun, have a diet low in fatty fish, or have darkly-pigmented skin are more likely to have low vitamin D levels.”