Sun-seeking behavior is linked to genes involved in addiction, behavioral and personality traits and brain function, according to a study of more than 260,000 people led by researchers at King's College London. This means that people's behavior towards the sun is complicated by a genetic predisposition.
The researchers studied detailed health information from 2,500 twins from TwinsUK, including their sun-seeking behavior and genetics. Identical twins in a pair were more likely to have similar sun-seeking behavior than non-identical twins, indicating that genetics plays a key role.
The team then identified five key genes involved in sun-seeking behavior from a further analysis of 260,000 participants from other cohorts. Some of these genes have been linked to behavioral traits associated with risk-taking and addiction, including smoking, cannabis and alcohol use, and number of sexual partners.
Senior author Dr. Mario Falchi from King's College London said:"Our results suggest that tackling excessive sun exposure or using tanning beds may be more challenging than expected as it is influenced by genetic factors. It is important that the public is aware of this, as it can make people more aware of their behavior and the potential harm of excessive sun exposure.”
dr. Veronique Bataille, dermatologist consultant involved in the King's College London study added:"It is clear that we see people who exhibit very unhealthy sun behavior and are fully aware of it. They will continue to expose themselves excessively even if they have cancer risk factors. Our research shows that genes that regulate addiction and other risky behaviors are important and may explain some of the reluctance to change behavior in the sun.”
