Study focuses on the role of lifestyle interventions in cancer prevention
It is Cancer Prevention Week, so what better time to make some healthy changes to your lifestyle. The results of a new study into lifestyle interventions in cancer prevention could give some ideas about things we can do as individuals to reduce our risk of getting cancer.
Although unfortunately there is no way to guarantee that you won’t be affected by cancer in your lifetime, research from the American Cancer Society has shown that nearly half of all cancer cases in the States can be linked to lifestyle choices. What that means is that by making some changes to your daily life (or avoiding picking up any bad habits), you can potentially reduce your risk of having to undergo cancer treatment in future.
Lifestyle interventions in cancer prevention
If you’re keen to give yourself the best possible chance of a long and healthy life, here is our advice on some of the top changes to make now:
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Stop smoking
This will come as no surprise, but smoking was the number one culprit, linked to 19.3% of all cancer cases – and a whopping 56% of preventable cancers in men. If you’re a smoker, quitting today is the best thing you can do for your health, but it’s important to avoid being around cigarette smoke too – second-hand smoke was another major risk factor.
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Eat less, move more
After smoking, the next biggest modifiable risk factor was excess body weight, with physical inactivity coming in at number five. If you are overweight, then by restricting your calorie intake and increasing your daily exercise level, you can reduce two cancer risk factors at once. The basic rule for weight loss is to ensure that the number of calories you consume is lower than the number of calories you expend through exercise.
The good news is that you can burn around 2,000 calories a day (depending on your bodyweight) just by existing, so if you stick to the recommended daily calorie intake (about 2,000), you don’t need to up your exercise regime by much to start to see an improvement. Small changes can make a big difference.
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Drink less alcohol
Alcohol consumption came in at number three on the list of cancer-causing habits. If you can’t bring yourself to cut out the booze completely, then sticking to the NHS recommended intake of 14 units per week, spread across three or more days, is a good start. If you’re ready to make a bigger change, however, there is now a wide range of alcohol-free beers, wines and spirits available to ease the process, and a growing sobriety movement across the UK to offer support.
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Stay out of the sun
While a suntan might be appealing, with UV exposure attributed to 4.6% of preventable cancer cases studied, perhaps it’s just not worth the risk? With various options available to get that sun-kissed look without having to go anywhere near those harmful UV rays, this should be an easy habit to kick.
If you need some extra support in making these lifestyle interventions in cancer prevention, or you have any cancer-related concerns, arrange a GP appointment to discuss your options in more detail. Call +44 (0)20 4580 1152 or email [email protected].
