WASHINGTON, July 1 (UPI) -- A lack of shade at America's playgrounds is exposing children to risks of the most serious form of skin cancer, health experts say.
Though children have always dealt with the summer sun, research shows a growing risk of melanoma, and sun exposure is greatest during childhood, USA Today reported Thursday.
Shade can do more than protect children's skin, with a growing number of advocates suggesting it can also help kids stay more active and combat childhood obesity. At a time when one-third of children are overweight, there is pressure to provide more shade at playgrounds, parks and pools, both to reduce future cancer risk and promote exercise, says Richard Louv, co-founder of the Children & Nature Network, a non-profit that encourages kids to get outside.
"You go to a playground where there is no shade, and you just can't be out there on a hot day," says Sid Espinosa, director of citizenship at Microsoft and mayor of Palo Alto. "It's not good for your health."
Providing shade, especially through the use of trees, isn't as simple as it sounds, Espinosa says.
Landscaping, typically added last after a new playground is built, is often the first expense to be cut if a project runs over budget. From the perspective of a park or community center manager, trees mean extra work and money, he says, and pool managers don't want trees near the water, for example, because they drop leaves, adding to the difficulty of keeping pools clean.
