Why do you think so many people in Australia have skin cancer?

Is it because most of them are first or second generation Australians that originated from the colder overcast climates of Ireland and England and they have little melatonin and that's why the skin cancer rate is high and not the ozone? Do the Aborigines have high rates of skin cancer too?

That's a good question - I'm a nurse and I haven't found any data on increased cancer rate in indigenous people, but I haven't looked that thoroughly either.

My family is 5th gerneration Australian, but of mostly Scottish stock and we have a high prevalence of skin cancer - blonde/red hair and blue eyes are the devil! I have a few friends from NZ who have had skin cancer - I think the high UV /ozone layer is definitely a factor.

most Aboriginal people have the sense to stay out of the sun when its at its worst.

the great aussie saying is;

"only mad dogs and english men go out into the midday sun."

also, you are way off the mark about 1st and 2nd generations, when a large number of aussies (the white ones) are four of five generations (if not more).

we have a lot of sunshine, lots of beaches and beach culture and that nasty hole in the ozone layer above us...that and not bein sun smart.

mix it all together and there is the world highest rate of skin cancer...all wrapped up in surgical dressing.

'Mad dogs and Englishmen' is not an Aussie saying. It was used before Australia existed. It was a French or Spanish person that said it first, I think.

From what I've seen there are plenty of Aussies out there all day, anyhow. I would've thought that's the link!

yes you might be right, because just a few days ago I have read a similar article about this issue on this site http://cancer-care-center.blogspot.com/ that, white people have high risk of skin cancer then black people.

It has nothing to do with where they came from. There's a big hole in the ozone layer over Australia and the South Pacific. It allows in more ultraviolet light..

I think it's because it's so sunny over there that's probably why. you know too much sun can give you skin cancer.