"Sunshine might be healthier than most people think, outweighing the risk of skin cancer", British doctors suggested last week. The four researchers at Bristol University were accused of weakening years of campaigning to warn people of the dangers of too much sun. Experts agree exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays increases the risk of skin cancer and accelerates the signs of aging. But in the British Medical Journal the Bristol team led by Andrew Ness wrote, "There is evidence that the potential benefits of exposure to sunlight may outweigh the widely publicized negative effects on the incidence of skin cancer."
Vitamin D, made in the body in reaction to sunlight, prevented rickets (软骨病) in children and was associated with a protective effect against heart disease.
Sunshine was also useful for treating certain skin conditions and there was also the "feel good effect of lying or sitting in the sun". The researchers said it was too early to advise people to spend more time in the sun, but suggested the basis of the current advice to cover up should be reviewed.
"Perhaps, while we await the conclusions of such formal analyses, those of us who enjoy spending time in the sun can rest assured that the chance that we will be one of the people dying from the sun small." they added.
Their article was strongly criticized by health campaigners who claimed it was unbalanced and not backed by scientific evidence. Britain's Health Education Authority said skin cancer was the most common form of cancer in the country, with more than 50, 000 new cases diagnosed each year and more than 2, 000 people dying from the disease. It said treatment almost always required surgery and almost 50 percent of cases were fatal. The authority's skin cancer campaign manager Christopher New said, "We are very disappointed with this controversial article. It doesn't have enough supporting evidence and runs the risk undoing many years of "good health education"".
