FRIDAY, July 24, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- More than one-third of women and one-quarter of men engage in intentional outdoor tanning, with variance observed by age, race, physical activity level, and alcohol use, according to a study published online July 22 in JAMA Dermatology.
Dawn M. Holman, M.P.H., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues examined the prevalence of intentional outdoor tanning among U.S. adults. The analysis included 31,615 adults participating in the 2024 National Health Interview Survey.
The researchers found that the unadjusted prevalence of intentional outdoor tanning was 30.2 percent in women and 26.6 percent in men. Overall, the prevalence of intentional outdoor tanning was associated with age, race and ethnicity, sun sensitivity, physical activity, and alcohol use. The highest prevalence in women was seen in those who were aged 18 to 29 years (48.1 percent), were non-Hispanic White (41.3 percent), were non-sun-sensitive (38.3 percent), met both aerobic and strength guidelines (39.5 percent), or engaged in heavy or binge drinking (47.2 percent). Similarly, among men, prevalence was highest among those who were aged 18 to 29 years (29.9 percent), were non-Hispanic White (30.5 percent), were sun-sensitive (28.7 percent), met both aerobic and strength guidelines (32.2 percent), or engaged in heavy or binge drinking (31.2 percent). Prevalence in women was also higher among those with some college (37.5 percent) and a healthy weight (38.7 percent). However, in men, higher prevalence was seen in those who were married or partnered (25.8 percent).
"These findings support the need to address intentional outdoor tanning in the context of skin cancer prevention," the authors write. "The variation in demographic and behavioral factors points to venues for future research and interventions."
