‘Sunshine helps fight diabetes’

Scientists at Edinburgh University found that overfed mice with fur shaved to expose skin were slower to gain weight after basking in ultraviolet (UV) light, the same rays that found in sunshine.

They also displayed fewer of the warning signs of diabetes, such as abnormal blood sugar levels and resistance to the hormone insulin.

Dr Richard Weller, from the University of Edinburgh, who took part in the Australian-led study, said: “We know from epidemiology studies that sun-seekers live longer than those who spend their lives in the shade.”