The first national survey of attitudes to sun protection shows half of Australians still associate a suntan with being healthy.

The National Sun Survey illustrates a widespread lack of understanding about the dangers of tanning.

The Cancer Council of Australia surveyed 5,000 people over a number of weekends last summer.

The resulting report shows 47 per cent of women and 53 per cent of men agree a sun-tanned person looks more healthy.

Forty-two per cent of all respondents said most of their friends think a sun tan is a good thing, and a quarter of 12- to 17-year-olds worked at getting a tan last year.

The Queensland Cancer Fund, which released the figures, says it had hoped skin cancers had peaked with the baby boomer generation......