Are you running sun smart?

By Scott Douglas

The incidence of melanoma among young women increased by more than a factor of eight from the 1970s to the first decade of the 21st century, according to a study by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, US.

The data comes from the Mayo Clinic's continued study of the health of residents of Olmstead County, Minnesota. Researchers have data on the county's residents dating from 1966. Between 1970 and 1979, the incidence of melanoma, or skin cancer, among people age 18 to 39 was 4.8 per 100,000 residents, while between 2000 and 2009 it was 30.8 per 100,000 residents. That's more than a six-fold increase. Among the women in that age group there was an eight-fold increase in melanoma diagnosis over the four-decade period.

There are many things runners can do to lower their risk of skin cancer, starting with wearing sunscreen. Here's a refresher course on running sun smart.