Children are in a dynamic state of growth, and are therefore more susceptible to
environmental threats than adults. Many vital functions such as the immune system are
not fully developed at birth, and unsafe environments may interfere with their normal
development. But most environmental hazards are preventable: reducing exposure is
the most effective way of protecting children's health.
Ultraviolet radiation and ozone depletion
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is one component of solar radiation. It is progressively filtered
as sunlight passes through the atmosphere, in particular by the ozone layer.
As the ozone layer is depleted, the protective filter activity of the atmosphere is reduced
and more UV radiation, in particular the more harmful UVB, reaches the Earth's surface.
In the year 2000, the ozone hole over the Antarctic reached its biggest size ever
covering 11.4 million square miles - an area more than three times the size of the United
States. For the first time it also stretched over populated areas exposing local residents
to extreme levels of solar UV radiation. Local authorities warned residents in Southern
Chile that they could sunburn in less than seven minutes and should avoid spending
time outdoors in the middle of the day.
Sustained ozone depletion and enhanced levels of UV radiation on Earth will aggravate
UV effects on the human skin, eyes and immune system. Children are at especially high
risk of suffering damage from exposure to UV radiation.
Health effects of sun exposure: a global concern
UV radiation causes sunburn and skin cancer and accelerates skin ageing.
Overexposure to UV radiation can lead to inflammations of the cornea and the
conjunctiva in the eye, and causes or accelerates cataract development. A health issue
of growing concern is that UV radiation can reduce the effectiveness of the human
immune system. Consequently, sun exposure may enhance the risk of infection and
could limit the efficacy of immunization against disease. Both of these act against the
health of poor and vulnerable groups, especially children of the developing world, as
many developing countries are located close to the equator and hence exposed to very
high levels of UV radiation.
Skin cancer has become the focus of intervention campaigns in Australia, Europe and
North America. Many believe that only fair-skinned people need to be concerned about
overexposure to the sun. Although it is true that darker skin has more protective
pigment, the skin is still susceptible to the damaging effects of UV radiation. The
incidence of skin cancers is lower in dark-skinned people, nevertheless skin cancers
occur and are often detected at a later, more dangerous stage. The risk of other
UV-related health effects, such as eye damage, premature ageing of the skin, and
immunosuppression is independent of skin type. For example, a 10% decrease in total
stratospheric ozone is predicted to result in between 1.6 and 1.75 million additional
cases of cataract per year worldwide.
Skin cancer incidence on the rise
Between 2 and 3 million non-melanoma skin cancers and approximately 132,000
malignant melanomas occur globally each year. With a sustained 10% decrease in
stratospheric ozone, an additional 300,000 non-melanoma and 4,500 melanoma skin
cancers could be expected world-wide, according to UNEP estimates. Currently, one in
five North Americans and one in two Australians will develop some form of skin cancer
in their lifetime.
People's behaviour in the sun is the main cause for the rise in skin cancer rates in
recent decades. An increase in popular outdoor activities and changed sunbathing
habits often result in excessive UV exposure. Many people consider intensive
sunbathing to be normal and unfortunately, even many children and their parents
perceive a suntan as a symbol of attractiveness and good health. However, a suntan is
merely a sign of UV damage and represents the skin's defence to prevent further harm.
Children require special protection
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children, including
all developmental stages from conception to age 18, have the right to enjoyment of the
highest attainable standard of health and to a safe environment. Children require
special protection as they are at a higher risk of suffering damage from exposure to UV
radiation than adults, in particular:
A child's skin is thinner and more sensitive and even a short time outdoors in the
midday sun can result in serious burns.
Epidemiological studies demonstrate that frequent sun exposure and sunburn in
childhood set the stage for high rates of melanoma later in life.
Children have more time to develop diseases with long latency, more years of life to be
lost and more suffering to be endured as a result of impaired health. Increased life
expectancy further adds to people's risk of developing skin cancers and cataracts.
Children are more exposed to the sun. Estimates suggest that up to 80 per cent of a
person's lifetime exposure to UV is received before the age of 18 .
Children love playing outdoors but usually are not aware of the harmful effects of UV
radiation.
Caring for children in the sun
According to an Australian study, four out of five cases of skin cancer are preventable
by sensible behaviour. Encouraging children to take simple precautions will prevent
both short-term and long-term damage while still allowing them to enjoy the time they
spend outdoors. Parents should serve as role models, and it is their responsibility to
ensure that their children are protected adequately. Always keep infants of less than 12
months in the shade and make sure your children:
Cover up with protective clothing, a hat and sunglasses.
Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 15+.
Limit their time in the midday sun.
Seek shade.
Avoid sunlamps and tanning parlours.
Shade, clothing and hats provide the best protection for children -- applying sunscreen
becomes necessary on those parts of the body that remain exposed like the face and
hands. Sunscreen should never be used to prolong the duration of sun exposure.
Sun protection is relevant in all settings
Sun protection is not only necessary on the beach or at the swimming pool but applies
to all outdoor settings. In many situations sunburn arises because people do not realize
the need for protection. Children can be exposed to intense sunlight on the balcony at
home, on weekend trips or a visit to the zoo, during breaks at kindergarten or school,
and during outdoor sporting activities.
Particular attention should be paid in the mountains, as UV levels increase by
approximately 8 per cent with every 1000 meters altitude. Although UV radiation is most
intense under cloudless skies it may be high even on an overcast day. Many surfaces
such as snow, sand and water reflect the sun's rays and add to the overall UV exposure.
Sun protection programmes can make a difference
Sun protection programmes to raise awareness and achieve changes in life-style is
urgently needed to slow down and eventually reverse the trend towards more and more
skin cancers. An effective campaign can have an enormous impact on public health: the
regular use of sunscreen with sun protection factor 15 or higher up to the age of 18
could decrease the frequency of skin cancer in Australia by more than 70 per cent.
Beyond the health benefits, effective education programmes can significantly decrease
costs in the health system and strengthen the economy. Current prevention campaigns
in Australia invest approximately US$ 0.08 per person per year, while the direct costs of
skin cancer treatment have been estimated at US$ 5.70 per head of the population
during the same period of time.
WHO's Activities to promote children's sun protection
INTERSUN Project
INTERSUN, WHO's Global UV Project aims to reduce the burden of disease resulting
from exposure to UV radiation. The programme encourages and evaluates research to
fill gaps in scientific knowledge, assesses and quantifies health risks, and develops an
appropriate response through guidelines, recommendations and information
dissemination. Beyond its scientific objectives, INTERSUN provides guidance to
national authorities and other agencies about effective sun awareness programmes.
These address different target audiences such as occupationally exposed people,
tourists, school children and the general public. The programme is working towards the
development of a framework for children's sun protection education that comprises an
educational package as well as recommendations on best practices.
Global Solar UV Index
The UV Index (UVI) was developed by WHO, the United Nations Environment
Programme, and the World Meteorological Organization as part of an international effort
to raise public awareness of the risks of sun exposure. It is a simple measure of the
intensity of the sun's ultraviolet rays at the earth's surface, and in many countries is
presented as part of the weather forecast. INTERSUN promotes the harmonized use of
the UVI, and advises governments to employ this educational tool in their health
promotion programmes. WHO encourages dissemination channels such as the media
and tourism industry to publish the UVI forecast and promote sun protection messages.
Global School Health Initiative
WHO's Global School Health Initiative seeks to mobilize and strengthen health
promotion and education activities to improve the health of students, school personnel,
families and other members of the community. Schools are vitally important settings to
promote sun protection, and play a significant role in increasing awareness and
changing behaviour among children and the people taking care of them. As part of the
WHO Information Series on School Health, INTERSUN is preparing a document that
will describe the essential steps in setting up a school initiative on sun protection.
Task Force for the Protection of Children's Environmental Health
In response to new knowledge about the special vulnerability of children and to growing
concerns about the health impact of unsafe environments, WHO set up a Task Force
for the Protection of Children's Environmental Health in July 1999. Its objectives are to
raise the awareness of member states and the general public, to assist countries in
mitigating the effects of environmental threats and to develop methodologies for risk
assessment and the dissemination of information. Protecting children from harmful
ultraviolet radiation is one of the topics covered by the Task Force's activities.
For more information contact:
WHO Media centre
Telephone: +41 22 791 2222
E-mail: mediainquiries@who.int
environmental threats than adults. Many vital functions such as the immune system are
not fully developed at birth, and unsafe environments may interfere with their normal
development. But most environmental hazards are preventable: reducing exposure is
the most effective way of protecting children's health.
Ultraviolet radiation and ozone depletion
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is one component of solar radiation. It is progressively filtered
as sunlight passes through the atmosphere, in particular by the ozone layer.
As the ozone layer is depleted, the protective filter activity of the atmosphere is reduced
and more UV radiation, in particular the more harmful UVB, reaches the Earth's surface.
In the year 2000, the ozone hole over the Antarctic reached its biggest size ever
covering 11.4 million square miles - an area more than three times the size of the United
States. For the first time it also stretched over populated areas exposing local residents
to extreme levels of solar UV radiation. Local authorities warned residents in Southern
Chile that they could sunburn in less than seven minutes and should avoid spending
time outdoors in the middle of the day.
Sustained ozone depletion and enhanced levels of UV radiation on Earth will aggravate
UV effects on the human skin, eyes and immune system. Children are at especially high
risk of suffering damage from exposure to UV radiation.
Health effects of sun exposure: a global concern
UV radiation causes sunburn and skin cancer and accelerates skin ageing.
Overexposure to UV radiation can lead to inflammations of the cornea and the
conjunctiva in the eye, and causes or accelerates cataract development. A health issue
of growing concern is that UV radiation can reduce the effectiveness of the human
immune system. Consequently, sun exposure may enhance the risk of infection and
could limit the efficacy of immunization against disease. Both of these act against the
health of poor and vulnerable groups, especially children of the developing world, as
many developing countries are located close to the equator and hence exposed to very
high levels of UV radiation.
Skin cancer has become the focus of intervention campaigns in Australia, Europe and
North America. Many believe that only fair-skinned people need to be concerned about
overexposure to the sun. Although it is true that darker skin has more protective
pigment, the skin is still susceptible to the damaging effects of UV radiation. The
incidence of skin cancers is lower in dark-skinned people, nevertheless skin cancers
occur and are often detected at a later, more dangerous stage. The risk of other
UV-related health effects, such as eye damage, premature ageing of the skin, and
immunosuppression is independent of skin type. For example, a 10% decrease in total
stratospheric ozone is predicted to result in between 1.6 and 1.75 million additional
cases of cataract per year worldwide.
Skin cancer incidence on the rise
Between 2 and 3 million non-melanoma skin cancers and approximately 132,000
malignant melanomas occur globally each year. With a sustained 10% decrease in
stratospheric ozone, an additional 300,000 non-melanoma and 4,500 melanoma skin
cancers could be expected world-wide, according to UNEP estimates. Currently, one in
five North Americans and one in two Australians will develop some form of skin cancer
in their lifetime.
People's behaviour in the sun is the main cause for the rise in skin cancer rates in
recent decades. An increase in popular outdoor activities and changed sunbathing
habits often result in excessive UV exposure. Many people consider intensive
sunbathing to be normal and unfortunately, even many children and their parents
perceive a suntan as a symbol of attractiveness and good health. However, a suntan is
merely a sign of UV damage and represents the skin's defence to prevent further harm.
Children require special protection
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children, including
all developmental stages from conception to age 18, have the right to enjoyment of the
highest attainable standard of health and to a safe environment. Children require
special protection as they are at a higher risk of suffering damage from exposure to UV
radiation than adults, in particular:
A child's skin is thinner and more sensitive and even a short time outdoors in the
midday sun can result in serious burns.
Epidemiological studies demonstrate that frequent sun exposure and sunburn in
childhood set the stage for high rates of melanoma later in life.
Children have more time to develop diseases with long latency, more years of life to be
lost and more suffering to be endured as a result of impaired health. Increased life
expectancy further adds to people's risk of developing skin cancers and cataracts.
Children are more exposed to the sun. Estimates suggest that up to 80 per cent of a
person's lifetime exposure to UV is received before the age of 18 .
Children love playing outdoors but usually are not aware of the harmful effects of UV
radiation.
Caring for children in the sun
According to an Australian study, four out of five cases of skin cancer are preventable
by sensible behaviour. Encouraging children to take simple precautions will prevent
both short-term and long-term damage while still allowing them to enjoy the time they
spend outdoors. Parents should serve as role models, and it is their responsibility to
ensure that their children are protected adequately. Always keep infants of less than 12
months in the shade and make sure your children:
Cover up with protective clothing, a hat and sunglasses.
Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 15+.
Limit their time in the midday sun.
Seek shade.
Avoid sunlamps and tanning parlours.
Shade, clothing and hats provide the best protection for children -- applying sunscreen
becomes necessary on those parts of the body that remain exposed like the face and
hands. Sunscreen should never be used to prolong the duration of sun exposure.
Sun protection is relevant in all settings
Sun protection is not only necessary on the beach or at the swimming pool but applies
to all outdoor settings. In many situations sunburn arises because people do not realize
the need for protection. Children can be exposed to intense sunlight on the balcony at
home, on weekend trips or a visit to the zoo, during breaks at kindergarten or school,
and during outdoor sporting activities.
Particular attention should be paid in the mountains, as UV levels increase by
approximately 8 per cent with every 1000 meters altitude. Although UV radiation is most
intense under cloudless skies it may be high even on an overcast day. Many surfaces
such as snow, sand and water reflect the sun's rays and add to the overall UV exposure.
Sun protection programmes can make a difference
Sun protection programmes to raise awareness and achieve changes in life-style is
urgently needed to slow down and eventually reverse the trend towards more and more
skin cancers. An effective campaign can have an enormous impact on public health: the
regular use of sunscreen with sun protection factor 15 or higher up to the age of 18
could decrease the frequency of skin cancer in Australia by more than 70 per cent.
Beyond the health benefits, effective education programmes can significantly decrease
costs in the health system and strengthen the economy. Current prevention campaigns
in Australia invest approximately US$ 0.08 per person per year, while the direct costs of
skin cancer treatment have been estimated at US$ 5.70 per head of the population
during the same period of time.
WHO's Activities to promote children's sun protection
INTERSUN Project
INTERSUN, WHO's Global UV Project aims to reduce the burden of disease resulting
from exposure to UV radiation. The programme encourages and evaluates research to
fill gaps in scientific knowledge, assesses and quantifies health risks, and develops an
appropriate response through guidelines, recommendations and information
dissemination. Beyond its scientific objectives, INTERSUN provides guidance to
national authorities and other agencies about effective sun awareness programmes.
These address different target audiences such as occupationally exposed people,
tourists, school children and the general public. The programme is working towards the
development of a framework for children's sun protection education that comprises an
educational package as well as recommendations on best practices.
Global Solar UV Index
The UV Index (UVI) was developed by WHO, the United Nations Environment
Programme, and the World Meteorological Organization as part of an international effort
to raise public awareness of the risks of sun exposure. It is a simple measure of the
intensity of the sun's ultraviolet rays at the earth's surface, and in many countries is
presented as part of the weather forecast. INTERSUN promotes the harmonized use of
the UVI, and advises governments to employ this educational tool in their health
promotion programmes. WHO encourages dissemination channels such as the media
and tourism industry to publish the UVI forecast and promote sun protection messages.
Global School Health Initiative
WHO's Global School Health Initiative seeks to mobilize and strengthen health
promotion and education activities to improve the health of students, school personnel,
families and other members of the community. Schools are vitally important settings to
promote sun protection, and play a significant role in increasing awareness and
changing behaviour among children and the people taking care of them. As part of the
WHO Information Series on School Health, INTERSUN is preparing a document that
will describe the essential steps in setting up a school initiative on sun protection.
Task Force for the Protection of Children's Environmental Health
In response to new knowledge about the special vulnerability of children and to growing
concerns about the health impact of unsafe environments, WHO set up a Task Force
for the Protection of Children's Environmental Health in July 1999. Its objectives are to
raise the awareness of member states and the general public, to assist countries in
mitigating the effects of environmental threats and to develop methodologies for risk
assessment and the dissemination of information. Protecting children from harmful
ultraviolet radiation is one of the topics covered by the Task Force's activities.
For more information contact:
WHO Media centre
Telephone: +41 22 791 2222
E-mail: mediainquiries@who.int
| Protecting children from ultraviolet radiation |
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