Lifestyle and Cancer Rates
Monday 2nd March 2009
Each year thousands of UK cancer cases could be prevented through better diet, less alcohol and weight management The Daily Telegraph has reported. The statement is based on a new report by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), discussing ways to reduce lifestyle factors that raise the risk of major cancers.
Several other news sources have featured coverage on the report, with The Guardian saying that most cancer is not inevitable and that 26% of British cancer cases could be prevented through lifestyle change. BBC online says the experts behind the report believe urgent action is needed to avert a crisis, with cancer rates set to increase due to an aging population, rising obesity, falling physical activity and growth in eating unhealthily.
Where did the news reports come from? The news is based on a policy report by the World Cancer Research Fund recommending a number of measures to reduce rates of preventable cancer, sometimes referred to as ‘lifestyle cancers’. This review focused on the possible implementation of population and community programmes which had been shown to be effective in an earlier WCRF report.
The first expert report, a systematic review of scientific research, was published in late 2007. It looked at the evidence that specific dietary patterns, nutrition and physical activity can prevent cancer. The report concluded that globally, each year millions of cancer cases are preventable.
In the preface of this new report, Professor Michael Marmot explains that although the recommendations of their first report were “rather straightforward”, they are hard to implement. Simply conveying information on risks and benefits has, in the past, shown limited impact on individual food and activity choices. In response, the WCRF has drawn up these recommendations so that governmental and public bodies can play a role in encouraging individuals’ lifestyle changes.
