Healthier Lifestyle Can Boost Cancer Prevention
A healthier lifestyle can play a vital role in reducing cancer risk, according to experts. More than four in ten cancers could be prevented if people make some healthy changes in their lifestyle.
The latest information from Cancer Research UK show smoking is the biggest avoidable risk factor, followed by obesity and alcohol.
From data collected between 2007 and 2011, 587,000 cases of cancer diagnosed could have been avoided through healthier lifestyles.
314,600 of these cases can be directly attributed to tobacco consumption, while 144,800 cases were the result of an unhealthy diet -- eating too much red and processed meat and salt, and too little fruit, vegetables and fibre. Being overweight was closely linked to 88,100 other cases, while alcohol played a key role in 62,200 cases. Exposure to UV radiation from sunlight was involved in 55,900 cases and inadequate physical activity in 16,500, according to The Guardian.
The charity is urging people to consider their health when making New Year resolutions, writes BBC News.
"There's now little doubt that certain lifestyle choices can have a big impact on cancer risk, with research around the world all pointing to the same key risk factors," Prof Max Parkin, a Cancer Research UK statistician based at Queen Mary University of London, said.
"Of course everyone enjoys some extra treats during the Christmas holidays so we don't want to ban mince pies and wine but it's a good time to think about taking up some healthy habits for 2015.
"Leading a healthy lifestyle can't guarantee someone won't get cancer but we can stack the odds in our favour by taking positive steps now that will help decrease our cancer risk in future," Parkin added.
