SunSmart is a not-for-profit health promotion program in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

that promotes a balance between the benefits and harms of sunlight exposure, most notably including

vitamin D Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, and many other biological effects. In humans, the most important compounds in this group are vitamin D3 (c ...

and

skin cancer Skin cancers are cancers that arise from the skin. They are due to the development of abnormal cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body. There are three main types of skin cancers: basal-cell skin cancer (BCC) ...

Cancer Council Victoria Cancer Council Victoria is a not-for-profit organisation which aims to reduce the impact of cancer in Victoria. It is an independent body that advises various groups, including government, on cancer-related issues. Cancer Council Victoria al ...

and the

Victorian Health Promotion Foundation The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation is a statutory authority in the Australian state of Victoria, originally funded by hypothecated taxation raised by the ''Victorian Tobacco Act 1987''. It was the first health promotion body in the worl ...

(VicHealth) first funded SunSmart in 1988 in Victoria. Programs now operate in each state and territory of Australia by respective Cancer Councils, all using common principles but tailored to jurisdictional priorities. Since the iconic Slip! Slop! Slap! message of the 1980s, the SunSmart program has expanded the sun protection message to include Seek shade and Slide on sunglasses. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. At least two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70 and more than 1,800 Australians die from skin cancer each year. SunSmart's investment in prevention brings considerable human and economic benefits across Australia. The program has generated a $2.30 net saving for every dollar spent, and was rated the second most cost-effective and health-saving intervention by the Victorian Department of Treasury. The 2010 Assessing Cost-Effectiveness of Prevention report identified an intensive SunSmart campaign as one of a handful of cost-effective interventions for the future that would have a large impact on Australia's health.Vos T, Carter R, Barendregt J, Mihalopoulos C, Veerman L, Magnus A, Cobiac L, Bertram M, Wallace AL, ACE-Prevention Team. Assessing cost-effectiveness in prevention (ACE-Prevention): Final report. University of Queensland & Deakin University: Brisbane & Melbourne 2010.

References

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External links

Official website
Sun tanning Health campaigns Health charities in Australia Medical and health organisations based in Victoria (Australia)

See also

References

External links