World Vitamin D Day - November 2nd

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Distribution

TORONTO, ON (October 29, 2026) – Vitamin D winter has arrived, and new research published this year shows why sunlight matters more than ever for your health. As the Vitamin D Society marks its 18^th annual November Vitamin D Awareness Month and World Vitamin D Day on November 2^nd, we are calling on Canadians to take action now to keep their vitamin D levels up through the darker months ahead.

People should worry about what shortens their life. Research is now revealing that people who get regular sun exposure, without burning, have lower mortality rates and live longer.

“Moderate sensible sun exposure makes vitamin D in your skin plus many additional benefits that are part of a healthy lifestyle. People should go more out into the sun. Avoid the sunburn and enjoy it!” says Dr. Stefan Pilz of the Medical University of Graz in Austria.

ENCINITAS – During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Helen Knoll Foundation and GrassrootsHealth are bringing a question to the forefront of women’s health: What role might sunlight and vitamin D play in breast cancer risk, and what does the evidence say?

Research from UC San Diego and more than 200 other studies has examined the association between higher vitamin D blood levels and lower breast cancer risk. Researchers have also studied vitamin D levels in relation to premenopausal breast cancer. The two nonprofits want more people to know about this work and take part in the conversation.

Much of that research began with sunlight. In 1980, UC San Diego epidemiologists Cedric and Frank Garland noted that colon cancer rates were higher in regions that receive less sunlight. They proposed that lower exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) light, the specific band of sunlight that initiates vitamin D production in the body, might explain the difference. Later studies extended this work to breast cancer.

A 2008 analysis of 107 countries published in The Breast Journal, co-authored by two of this year’s honorees, found that lower UVB levels were associated with higher breast cancer incidence.

Vitamin D plays a well-established role in overall health, and a growing body of research has linked vitamin D status to breast cancer risk and outcomes.

However, most studies to date have relied on a single measurement to assess a person's vitamin D status, and one reading can only reveal so much (after all, it's just a snapshot in time). Now, a new study tracking vitamin D across 513 women with breast cancer found that how levels changed over the course of treatment was a stronger predictor of outcomes than any single reading alone. Here's what you need to know.

Encinitas, CA—On November 2, 2026, GrassrootsHealth will host the inaugural Baggerly-Garland Vitamin D Scientist Awards at the Goldberg Auditorium at Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health. Taking place on World Vitamin D Day, the ceremony will recognize scientists whose research has helped advance understanding of vitamin D, UVB exposure, and cancer prevention. Sponsored by Solius Labs, the special press event will honor Dr. William B. Grant, Dr. Joan Lappe, and Dr. Edward D. Gorham, as well as the legacies of Carole Baggerly, founder of GrassrootsHealth, and Dr. Frank C. Garland, whose vision, persistence, and commitment helped transform the scientific conversation surrounding vitamin D and cancer prevention. The event will begin at 11 a.m. Pacific Time, with attendance available both in person and virtually.

Exposure to sunlight is associated with lower blood glucose levels and a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Background

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition in which the body either cannot produce sufficient insulin or cannot use it properly, leading to the accumulation of glucose in the blood (hyperglycemia). The condition is a major public health concern, with substantial impacts on morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure.

Several observational studies have linked lower circulating vitamin D levels to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. However, current randomized controlled trials generally do not establish low vitamin D as a causal factor or support vitamin D supplementation for preventing type 2 diabetes in the general population.

Vitamin D is primarily synthesized in the human skin following exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Existing evidence suggests that exposure to UV radiation can activate nitric oxide stored in the skin, which in turn can reduce blood pressure through vasodilation. Animal studies have also linked UV exposure to reductions in metabolic syndrome markers and weight gain. These observations suggest that sunlight may confer cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits independent of vitamin D.