5 ms·

Actually, there was an article posted here (I think) not too long ago about a study that showed the positive benefits from sunlight were enough to outweigh the

Actually, there was an article posted here (I think) not too long ago about a study that showed the positive benefits from sunlight were enough to outweigh the slightly increased chances of skin cancer. I'll see if I can find the link.

PKop 8y ago
Linked in sibling comment...
- jlarocco 8y ago
  Thanks! That's exactly the one I was thinking of.
dzhiurgis 8y ago
Yeah I think it really varies by the region. Sure it's good to go outside in Sweden and England, but not in Aussie and NZ when you can get sunburn in about 15 minutes. I've had couple of barbecue parties this summer in Auckland and NOBODY went outside until sun was way past 5PM. We preferred to sit in stuffy kitchen rather than enjoy beautiful beautiful outdoors. Even in middle of winter you can feel sun bite you as you stand in front of pedestrian crossing.
- wpearse 8y ago
  ...and this is why about a third of us NZers have vitamin D levels that are below the recommended level (5% + 27% ~ 1/3). https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/food-activity-and-sleep/healthy-eating/vitamin-d https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/food-a...
- dragonsngoblins 8y ago
  Trying to explain this to people visiting Australia is always amazing. "It's so lovely and sunny here, why aren't you tan?" "Because the sun is a terrifying ray of pain and death here."
  - dwd 8y ago
    The sooner we completely phase out CFCs and other stratospheric ozone depleting gases, the sooner we can go back to the good old days where you could enjoy that sunshine. The prediction is 2050-2070 we will be back to the 1980 level of ozone thickness.
    - lazyasciiart 8y ago
      Scientists have been trying to combat the perception that it is to blame for the high prevalence of skin cancer in Australia for a couple of decades now - it will never be a good idea to 'enjoy that sunshine' the way people used to. (2001 paper - https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6944/503469e4f779e99884e144fd679f58a82966.pdf https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6944/503469e4f779e99884e144... " Sufferers of skin cancer today should more likely blame their affliction on skin type and sun exposure during their youth than any changes in ozone distributions over the last twenty years. Therefore it is safe to say that even without ozone depletion, Australia would still have a very high rate of skin cancer.")
      - refurb 8y ago
        Wasn't the worst of the ozone thinning over the poles? Not sure the ozone layer actually affects sun exposure in Australia or NZ.
        lazyasciiart 8y ago
        Over Antarctica, yes. But in some conditions (right winds? I forget) thinner patches of ozone do blow over the south coast of Australia, and does increase UV exposure.
      - dwd 8y ago
        Can't agree more. It was pretty crazy in the 70s/80s. You had people literally baking themselves in the sun with tanning oils. Even after "Slip Slop Slap" was first promoted in the early 80s everyone was still trying to get a tan.
- mnd999 8y ago
  Yep, whether it does or doesn't give you skin cancer, sunburn is really unpleasant. That's enough to put most people off.

PKop 8y ago

Linked in sibling comment...

jlarocco 8y ago
Thanks! That's exactly the one I was thinking of.

dzhiurgis 8y ago

Yeah I think it really varies by the region. Sure it's good to go outside in Sweden and England, but not in Aussie and NZ when you can get sunburn in about 15 minutes. I've had couple of barbecue parties this summer in Auckland and NOBODY went outside until sun was way past 5PM. We preferred to sit in stuffy kitchen rather than enjoy beautiful beautiful outdoors. Even in middle of winter you can feel sun bite you as you stand in front of pedestrian crossing.

wpearse 8y ago
...and this is why about a third of us NZers have vitamin D levels that are below the recommended level (5% + 27% ~ 1/3). https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/food-activity-and-sleep/healthy-eating/vitamin-d https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/food-a...
dragonsngoblins 8y ago
Trying to explain this to people visiting Australia is always amazing. "It's so lovely and sunny here, why aren't you tan?" "Because the sun is a terrifying ray of pain and death here."
- dwd 8y ago
  The sooner we completely phase out CFCs and other stratospheric ozone depleting gases, the sooner we can go back to the good old days where you could enjoy that sunshine. The prediction is 2050-2070 we will be back to the 1980 level of ozone thickness.
  - lazyasciiart 8y ago
    Scientists have been trying to combat the perception that it is to blame for the high prevalence of skin cancer in Australia for a couple of decades now - it will never be a good idea to 'enjoy that sunshine' the way people used to. (2001 paper - https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6944/503469e4f779e99884e144fd679f58a82966.pdf https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6944/503469e4f779e99884e144... " Sufferers of skin cancer today should more likely blame their affliction on skin type and sun exposure during their youth than any changes in ozone distributions over the last twenty years. Therefore it is safe to say that even without ozone depletion, Australia would still have a very high rate of skin cancer.")
    - refurb 8y ago
      Wasn't the worst of the ozone thinning over the poles? Not sure the ozone layer actually affects sun exposure in Australia or NZ.
      - lazyasciiart 8y ago
        Over Antarctica, yes. But in some conditions (right winds? I forget) thinner patches of ozone do blow over the south coast of Australia, and does increase UV exposure.
    - dwd 8y ago
      Can't agree more. It was pretty crazy in the 70s/80s. You had people literally baking themselves in the sun with tanning oils. Even after "Slip Slop Slap" was first promoted in the early 80s everyone was still trying to get a tan.
mnd999 8y ago
Yep, whether it does or doesn't give you skin cancer, sunburn is really unpleasant. That's enough to put most people off.