University of Edinburgh

Academic Institute

OFHS260075

Sunlight and air pollution are part of everyday life in the UK, but we do not fully understand how they affect our health, both immediately and over the long term. Getting too little sunlight may harm health in ways that are not yet well recognised, while air pollution continues to be a major public health concern even at the relatively low levels found in the UK. This study aims to find out how sunlight and air pollution affect a broad range of health outcomes (including heart disease, cancer, lung conditions, and overall life expectancy) both in the short term (effects felt within days) and the long term (effects that build up over years). Our Future Health is an ideal resource for this research because of its large size and diversity, allowing us to examine effects in groups that have previously been understudied, such as people from ethnic minority backgrounds or from different socioeconomic statuses, where the relationship between sunlight and health may differ. Findings will help inform public health guidance on safe sunlight exposure and air pollution policy in the UK. Sunlight and air pollution exposure are part of everyday life for almost everyone, yet their effects on health in the UK are not fully understood. Our own and previous research has found evidence that not getting enough sunlight is an underrecognised risk factor for public health. Evidence is needed across a wider range of health conditions, including heart disease, respiratory conditions and cancer, that are understudied. While air pollution is harmful at high levels, the evidence from the UK (where overall pollution is lower) is less clear. We also know less about how day-to-day increases in pollution affect health, or which types of pollution are more harmful. We also need evidence on how sunlight and air pollution affect diverse populations differently, including people from different ethnic backgrounds, which has been difficult in smaller studies. In this study, we will examine how day-to-day changes in sunlight or air pollution affect health in the short term, and whether exposure over many years increases risk of long-term illness. We will look at specific population groups to identify who might be more at risk. This research will provide evidence to support UK public health guidance and policy on sunlight and air pollution exposure.

Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and respiratory conditions are among the leading causes of death in the UK. Sunlight and air pollution are part of daily life for everyone, but we do not yet fully understand how they contribute to these and other illnesses, particularly in the UK where insufficient sunlight exposure might be a public health problem and where air pollution is relatively modest. This research will identify which health conditions are most affected by sunlight and air pollution, and which groups of people are most at risk. These findings can be used by public health bodies such as the UK Health Security Agency to update guidance on safe sunlight exposure, for example, recommending that people spend more time outdoors, and by policymakers to prioritise reductions in the most harmful types of air pollution. For individuals, clearer guidance on sunlight exposure could be incorporated into routine health advice from GPs and public health campaigns, potentially reducing deaths from heart disease and cancer. For air pollution, new evidence could directly inform emission targets and urban planning decisions. By including diverse population groups, findings will be applicable across the whole UK population rather than based on evidence from a narrow group.

Public Health Research

15/10/2026

13/10/2026

TRE