Many Cancers Could be Prevented with Lifestyle Changes

A new global policy report estimates that approximately 45 percent of colon cancer cases and 38 percent of breast cancer cases in the US are preventable through diet, physical activity and weight maintenance. The report also sets out recommendations for policies to reduce the global number of cancer cases.

The overall message of the report, Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention, published by World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), is that all sections of society need to make public health, and cancer prevention in particular, a higher priority.

It includes estimates on the proportion of many different types of cancer that could be prevented through diet, physical activity and weight management. In the US, about one third of the most common cancers could be prevented. That figure does not include smoking, which alone accounts for about a third of cancers.

As part of the evidence-based report, thought to be the most comprehensive ever published on the subject, two independent teams of scientists systematically examined the evidence for how policy changes can influence the behaviors that affect cancer risk.

Following this, a panel of 23 world-renowned experts made a total of 48 recommendations, among which are:

Governments should require widespread walking and cycling routes to encourage physical activity.
Industry should give a higher priority for goods and services that encourage people to be active, particularly young people.
The food and drinks industry should make public health an explicit priority at all stages of production.
Schools should actively encourage physical activity and provide healthy food for children.
Schools, workplaces and institutions should not have unhealthy foods available in vending machines.
Health professionals should take a lead in giving the public information about public health, including cancer prevention.
People should use independent nutrition guides and food labels to make sure the food they buy for their family is healthy.

WCRF/AICR Panel member Tim Byers said, “Estimating cancer preventability is a very complex prospect that involves making a number of assumptions. Having said that, the figures in this report are as good an estimate it is possible to achieve about the proportion of cancer cases that could be prevented through healthy diet, regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight.”

“On a global level every year, there are millions of cancer cases that could have been prevented. This is why we need to act now before the situation gets even worse.”

The report also includes preventability estimates for the UK, as well as for China and Brazil.

PERCENTAGE OF CANCERS THAT COULD BE PREVENTED VIA HEALTHY DIET, REGULAR
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTHY WEIGHT

	US	UK	Brazil	China
Endometrium (lining of the uterus)	70	56	52	34
Esophagus	69	75	60	44
Mouth, pharynx & larynx	63	67	63	44
Stomach	47	45	41	33
Colon	45	43	37	17
Pancreas	39	41	34	14
Breast	38	42	28	20
Lung	36	33	36	38
Kidney	24	19	13	8
Gallbladder	21	16	10	6
Liver	15	17	6	6
Prostate	11	20	n/a	n/a
These 12 cancers combined	34	39	30	27

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References:
1. American Institute for Cancer Research.
2. Image by sygnin