Prevalence of tanning equipment use among Canadians

Tanning bed use in Germany between 2015 and 2022: Representative data of 28,000 individuals on indoor tanning, risk awareness and reasons for use

BACKGROUND

Tanning beds were classified as first-group carcinogens in 2009. Nonetheless, research shows that people in industrialized Western countries use tanning beds. Based on the National Cancer Aid Monitoring (NCAM) including representative data on 28,000 individuals from Germany, we quantified the prevalence as a trend from 2015 to 2022, identified determinants of tanning bed use and analysed risk awareness and reasons for use.

METHODS

We used NCAM data from 2015 to 2022 to analyse the trends in the prevalence of tanning bed use (n = 28,000). To determine the characteristics of tanning bed users, risk awareness and reasons, we combined data from the waves 2019 to 2022 (n = 16,000, 49.2% female, 16-65 years) in a pooled dataset to have sufficient power to detect even smaller associations.

RESULTS

Tanning bed use decreased to 5.1% in 2022. The use of tanning beds in spas, fitness and beauty facilities increased, except during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the use in tanning salons decreased. Typical tanning bed users were female, middle-aged, occupied, higher educated, had an immigrant background and were former or current smokers. Risk awareness was the lowest among the current users. The most frequently mentioned reasons were relaxation, enhancement of attractiveness and pre-tanning.

DISCUSSION

Our nationwide representative data showed that the prevalence of indoor tanning has decreased. Of concern are the lower risk awareness among current users and the shift in place of use towards facilities associated with health and wellness. To further reduce the use of tanning beds, targeted information, educational campaigns and extended legislation are considered helpful.

The Skin We Live in: Pigmentation Traits and Tanning Behaviour in British Young Adults, an Observational and Genetically-Informed Study

Skin cancer incidence has been increasing worldwide, representing a particularly high burden for populations of European ancestry. Outdoor and indoor tanning using ultraviolet (UV) radiation devices are major risk factors for skin cancer. While tanning behaviours can be modified by targeted interventions to reduce skin cancer rates, there is insufficient evidence on the motivations for tanning preferences and their relationship with pigmentation phenotypes. The present observational and genetically-informed study investigates motives for tanning and the role that pigmentation phenotypes play on outdoor and indoor tanning behaviour in British young adults. This study included 3722 participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children in South West England, with data on pigmentation features, tanning ability and preferences, and SNP genotypes. Liking to tan and outdoor tanning were strongly influenced by pigmentary traits and tanning ability. However, the association of these phenotypes with UV indoor tanning was weaker. Our results provide evidence to support the implementation of skin cancer preventative interventions that consider individual biological characteristics and motives for undergoing outdoor and indoor tanning.