TORONTO - A cross-country snapshot by the Canadian Cancer Society finds that on a typical summer day about 28 per cent of adults spend at least two hours in the sun.
Young adults - those aged 16 to 24 - are soaking up the most rays, but are least likely to don a hat, slather on sunscreen or otherwise protect themselves from overexposure, according to the survey results released Thursday.
Forty-seven per cent of young men in that age group, and 32 per cent of their female counterparts, report getting at least two hours of sunshine. Almost half of young women are actively trying to get a tan, along with 28 per cent of young men, the survey suggests.
The results are based on telephone interviews with more than 7,000 Canadians conducted from August to November 2006.
"We were quite happy to see that parents are getting the message and they're protecting their young children very well - ages one to five. So that was great to see, and older adults as well," said Heather Chappell, senior manager of Cancer Control Policy for the society.
But she described statistics on the sun protection behaviours of young adults as "particularly alarming."
Only 42 per cent of young men and 58 per cent of young women protect themselves from overexposure to the sun, the study found.
More than a decade ago, Rose Tanyi was among their ranks. She didn't consider herself a sun worshipper or sun seeker, but she was frequently outdoors and went to the beach.
"I never really thought about the sun. Even though I wasn't necessarily out tanning I was in the sun a lot. And it never crossed my mind to use sun protection or to wear a hat or anything like that," said Tanyi, who lives in Kitchener, Ont.
But that all changed when she was 23 and diagnosed with melanoma - about three years after a small mole first showed up on her left cheek.
"It was like kind of the size of a dot. And over the years it had grown, and in the last year it had just grown so much that the size and shape had just changed. It got to the point where a piece had fallen off and it started to bleed."
Tanyi, now 36, sought treatment from a plastic surgeon who removed it and later delivered the grim diagnosis. She now has a different perspective on how she spends her time outdoors.
She wears sunscreen with an SPF, or sun protection factor, of 30 and tries not to be in the sun for prolonged periods of time.
"For others I would say you need to be aware of the dangers and the risks of too much time in the sun unprotected," said Tanyi, who works as a volunteer co-ordinator at a food bank.
"And if you do have moles, really know your body and know your moles, have them checked - look for any changes."
Loraine Marrett, lead researcher for the survey and a senior scientist at Cancer Care Ontario, said it's healthy to get physical activity and people should not be hiding inside during the summer.
"We're not telling people to avoid the sun - we're telling people not to spend too much time in the sun. And when the sun's rays are strongest, in particular, to spend as little time in the sun as possible, and to protect yourself."
She noted that the survey was conducted before a flurry of media reports on the health benefits of vitamin D, which can be gained through sun exposure.
"We don't know what the optimal amount of time in the sun is to get the optimal levels of vitamin D," she noted.
The survey also indicated that 27 per cent of young women use tanning equipment.
"The Canadian Cancer Society is calling for a ban on the use of indoor tanning for children under the age of 18, and that's in line with the World Health Organization, and an effort to protect children from exposure to ultraviolet radiation," said Chappell.
An estimated 73,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer this year, and an estimated 260 people will die from it. Another 4,600 Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma, which is more likely to be fatal. An estimated 910 people will die from it.
"Skin cancer is the number 1 cancer in Canada and it's continuing to rise," Chappell said.
"We're seeing rates continuing to increase year over year - about one to two per cent a year. But that's pretty much doubled our skin cancer rates over the past 30 years."
Chappell said the survey results will help the society understand current behaviours, and identify the best ways to help people change behaviours "to try and see those rates level off and even start to decline."
"If you're out in direct sun, if there's no shade available, then you need to start looking at some personal protection things, such as a hat, sunglasses," she said.
"We recommend an SPF15 in general to protect your skin from the sun, but if you're going to be out for a long period of time or all day, you really want to consider a higher SPF of 30."
The society is working with employers to promote sunscreen and wide-brimmed hats for outdoor workers, and it's also advocating that municipalities incorporate a "shade policy" when they develop parks, she added.
Tanyi's brush with cancer meant surgery on her face, several years of taking drugs to boost her immune system and numerous followup visits.
"I think when you're young, you tend to think that things, especially like cancer, can't touch you. But they can."
?? The Canadian Press, 2008