Vitamin D no excuse to sun-bake

Research commissioned by Auckland’s Skin Institute found 27% of Kiwis used the need for vitamin D to justify overexposure to the sun.

But there’s no need to risk skin cancer to get your dose of vitamin D. The amount of sun you need depends on your skin colour. A very fair-skinned person may need only five minutes a day in summer sun (outside of the high-risk 11am-4pm times), whereas someone who tans easily or has dark skin may need around 20 minutes of exposure each day. Survey results also showed more than a quarter of men rarely or never wear sunscreen, and more than half the respondents had never had a mole checked by a medical practitioner. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in New Zealand. Every year around 60,000 new cases of skin cancer are reported, and the disease is responsible for more than 250 deaths annually. Foods containing vitamin D include fatty fish, eggs and some fortified milk, but we need sun exposure to get an adequate amount.

Source: Skin Institute, July 2008