title: Watching reality television beauty shows is associated with tanning lamp use and outdoor tanning among college students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ultraviolet radiation exposure through natural sunlight or tanning lamps is a risk factor for skin cancer.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  As the media can influence behavior, we studied whether watching reality television (TV) beauty shows is associated with tanning lamp use or outdoor tanning.
  
  
  METHODS
  College students (n = 576) were surveyed on their reality TV beauty show watching, their use of tanning lamps, and outdoor tanning behavior. We asked media attitude questions about connectivity with reality TV shows and Internet use of Facebook to discuss reality TV shows.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those who did versus did not watch reality TV beauty shows used tanning lamps (12.9% vs 3.7%, P < .001) and tanned outdoors (43.3% vs 28.7%, P < .001) at significantly greater percentages. Significant predictors of tanning lamp use included watching reality TV beauty shows (odds ratio [OR] 2.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-6.00), increasing age (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.32), and female sex (OR 10.16, 95% CI 3.29-31.41). Significant predictors of outdoor tanning included watching reality TV beauty shows (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.33-3.34).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The specific names of the reality TV beauty shows watched were not obtained and therefore we cannot determine if particular shows were more or less associated with this behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Watching reality TV beauty shows is associated with both tanning lamp use and outdoor tanning. Dermatologists should consider discussing the potential harmful aspects of tanning beds and outdoor tanning, especially with their patients who watch reality TV beauty shows.
authors.affiliation: Department of Finance and Business Management, Brooklyn College of City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York 11210, USA. joshua.fogel@gmail.com
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fogel
authors.forename: Faye
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Krausz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001505:Beauty Culture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D061108:Social Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055108:Sunbathing / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult