Despite New Zealand having the highest rate of melanoma skin cancer in the world, an alarming number of Kiwis are not being sun smart.
And it seems more needs to be done - at a higher level or through bigger moves such as public campaigns - to encourage sun safety, a new study has found.
More than 2600 children and adults were observed in and around the Wellington region as part of a University of Otago study published in the New Zealand Medical Journal today. Members of the public were observed at beaches, playgrounds and outdoor pools between September 2014 and April 2015.
The results found 4.3 per cent of people wore a sun protective hat - either broad-brimmed, a bucket hat or legionnaire style, which includes a long flap that covers a wearer's neck at the back.
A total of 10.7 per cent of people sought shelter at times when sun protection was warranted, the study found.