A new study found out that teenagers who undergo indoor tanning are more likely to show bad habits and expose themselves to health risks than those who do not.
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzed the responses of the participants of the Youth Risk Behavior Studies-- a survey annually administered to a group of teens representing 15.5 million American teenagers. For this year, they looked at the answers given by 26,000 students related to indoor tanning.
Their analysis revealed that indoor tanning is popular among this age group, despite warnings about its dangerous effects. Thirteen percent of the teenagers stated that they have done tanning indoors since 2011 while more than 50 percent stated that they have tanned indoors for more than 10 times since last year.
It also showed that indoor tanning has decreased by five percent since 2009 to 2011, closing at 21 percent. For boys, however, indoor tanning became more popular for those aged 18 and up as well as for white boys.
Those who are fond of tanning indoors were also found out to do some healthy habits. These teenagers were seen as active in sports and as those who eat fruits and vegetables more often. However, indoor tanning was also linked to risky and negative behaviors among teens.
Male indoor tanners are more likely to consume steroids, attempt suicide, and smoke. Girls, on the other hand, are more susceptible to having multiple sex partners and to taking illegal drugs. Both genders are found out to be more likely to go on binge drinking and engage in unhealthy habits to control weight.
"Of course the emergence of risky behavior during adolescence is not a surprise," Gery Guy, lead author of the study, said to Healthday. "But as this study shows that many risky behaviors are associated with each other, it highlights the importance of taking comprehensive approaches to indoor tanning prevention."
This study was published in Feb. 26 issue of the journal, JAMA Dermatology.
