A new study which was led by Valencian researchers shows that children who live in colder regions or even in wetter cities are more prone to suffering from respiratory problems. This is due to the fact that the amount of sunlight is inadequate and therefore people suffer from respiratory problems such as sinus trouble and asthma. Vitamin D plays a vital role in our day-to-day life. A great deal of Vitamin D is provided by the sun, which protects children from being afflicted by asthma.

But on the other hand, one of the major problems with sunlight is that prolonged exposure to the sun’s rays causes cancer. Alberto Arnedo-Pena, an epidemiologist at the Public Health Centre in Castellón is one of the the lead authors of the research, which is part of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. Researcher Luis García Marcos of the University of Murcia said that an appropriate balance has to be maintained to reap the benefits of sunlight but to avoid suffering from its ill effects.

More than, 90% of vitamin D is synthesised through exposure to the sun. Asthma patients have fewer vitamin cell receptors which is a reason why they start suffering from such a disease. The results of the study also show that there is a higher preponderance of this illness amongst children who live in wetter regions with less sunlight, such as northern Spain.

This research was carried out on more than 45,000 children and teenagers from various cities and has been published in the International Journal of Biometeorology, which shows the climatic conditions. In many of cases, the research has shown that due to high geographical variations prevailing in Spain, people have  asthma as a result.

Arnedo-Pena said that further research on this hypothesis is needed, especially including children who are five years old or younger. On average, sun exposure is extremely important for the absorption of vitamin D, which is a compound that is quite essential in thwarting illnesses such as asthma, tuberculosis and various other hazardous infectious diseases.

The Solar Vitamin

In most northern countries where there is less sunshine than in Mediterranean countries, the biggest advice for those people is to spend at least 20 to 30 minutes in the sun each and every day. , However, they should do soat the time before or after the highest risk period, which is from noon to 4 pm in the evening.

Once people understand the benefits of sun exposure, it will be difficult for those who live at latitudes higher than 40º north to get adequate exposure to the sun and sufficient vitamin D, particularly during the winter months. The researches also concluded that people who are staying in such regions should start consuming supplements so that they are not at a risk of developing any vitamin D deficiency related illnesses.