Obesity, smoking, alcohol Four out of ten cancer cases are unnecessary

How does the lifestyle affect cancer??

Cancer is a disease that affects more and more people. Researchers now found that about four in ten cancer cases could be prevented if those affected had a healthier lifestyle.

• Many forms of cancer can be avoided through a healthy lifestyle.
• Obesity and obesity are major risk factors for cancer.
• Tobacco and alcohol increase the likelihood of getting cancer.
• Food manufacturers should use less salt, sugar and fat.
• Asbestos, UV radiation and air pollution are also relevant risk factors for cancer.

Researchers at Cancer Research UK (CRUK) found in their current research that nearly four in ten cases of cancer could be prevented if the sufferer had a healthier lifestyle. The experts published the results of their study in the English-language journal "British Journal of Cancer".

Various avoidable lifestyle factors, such as smoking, increase the risk of developing cancer significantly. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com)

Alcohol, smoking and overweight are strong risk factors

When it comes to preventing cancer, measures such as lower alcohol consumption and weight reduction could help prevent around 2,500 cases of cancer every week, say the authors. In addition, people should not smoke cigarettes and not go to the sunbed so often. More than 2,500 cancers could be avoided each week, with tobacco smoke being the main cause and accounting for a good 15 percent of cancer cases, the researchers explain. Smoking contributes to well over half of the cases of lung cancer, but there are also thousands of other cancers a year related to smoking such as bladder, esophageal and colorectal cancer, study author says. Katrina Brown of Cancer Research UK.

Overweight has to be reduced

The scientists explain that the rate of smokers in the UK has been reduced by about one percent per year. However, there are more and more people overweight, which is the second most preventable cause of cancer and is blamed for about 6.3 percent of cancers. Hopefully, the already demonstrated success of advertising restrictions and tobacco taxes in reducing the number of smokers will also lead to new guidelines that will encourage manufacturers of junk food and other foods to use less salt, sugar and fat, experts said.

How was the study done??

"We took data from national surveys showing how common each risk factor is in the population, and data from the UK cancer registries showing how many cases of every cancer there are. Then, in the published research, we looked for information about how each risk factor increases cancer risk, "Dr. Katrina Brown in a press release from Cancer Research UK.

Obesity is almost normal

People now consider it normal to be overweight, indicating a change in social norms and acceptance, explains Professor Linda Bauld of Cancer Research UK. Society needs to be restored to normal weight and experts need to address the challenges that people of overweight face, according to the researcher.

Obesity also increases the risk of cancer. (Image: Gina Sanders / fotolia.com)

Obesity can lead to cancer

A recent campaign by Cancer Research UK highlighted the link between obesity and cancer. The awareness of the population for the cancer risk associated with obesity must therefore be increased. Only 15 percent of adults in the UK know about these effects, researchers say.

What increases the risk of cancer?

The new study is based on a number of sources, including national surveys, cancer registries and analysis of data from scientific work. The results show that alcohol consumption, low-fiber diets and infections such as HPV account for just over three percent of cancers, with exposures to substances such as asbestos at work and UV radiation each causing nearly four percent of cancers. Air pollution, consumption of processed meat and exposure to radiation account for less than 2% of cancer cases.

More men than women increase their cancer risk by smoking

The team also notes that the proportion of preventable cancer cases varies greatly between the four countries in the United Kingdom. In Scotland, 41.5 percent of cancers are preventable compared to just 37.3 percent in England, say the physicians. Overall, the proportion of preventable cancers in men was slightly higher than in women. This difference is probably due to socio-economic factors that can affect the lifestyle, such as more smokers among men. Obesity and alcohol were responsible for a larger proportion of women with cancer. Obesity is associated with 13 cancers, including breast, kidney, uterine and intestinal cancers, which often affect women. (As)