Reduce your cancer risk through lifestyle. I think you and I can agree that cancer is scary and sometimes somewhat random. But I want to empower you to reduce your risk. The American Cancer Society offers that about 45 percent of cancer deaths are associated with modifiable risk factors.
A risk factor is anything that increases your chances of getting a disease, such as cancer. Of course, having a risk factor does not mean that you are sure to get the disease. On the other hand, not having a known risk factor for a disease does not make you immune from it. Still, while we cannot change some risk factors for cancer, there are some risk factors that you can control.
Let’s get the five most significant modifiable risk factors out of the way before we turn to three that might surprise you:
- Cigarette smoking accounts for 19 percent of all cancer cases and nearly 29 percent of cancer deaths.
- Excessive body weight is linked to 8 percent of cancer cases and 6.5 percent of cancer deaths.
- Drinking alcohol is associated with 6 percent of cancer cases and 4 percent of deaths.
- Ultraviolet radiation exposure is linked to nearly 5 percent of cancers and 1.5 percent of deaths.
- Physical inactivity plays a role in 3 percent of cancer cases and 2 percent of cancer deaths.
Grouping together excess body weight, alcohol intake, physical inactivity, and poor diet, we find this quartet responsible for approximately 18 percent of cancer cases and 16 percent of cancer deaths. Let’s take a look at some less obvious risk factors.
1. Vitamin D. Did you know that low levels of this sunshine vitamin are associated with cancer? The vitamin D link with cancer is most consistent for colorectal cancer. Those with blood levels of vitamin D above 30 ng/ ml (what many experts consider to be the minimum acceptable level) have approximately half the risk of developing colon or rectal cancer, as do those with levels below 15 ng/ml.
There is also suggestive evidence of a modest positive association with breast cancer. After lung cancer, these are the two most common fatal cancers in women in the United States.
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I THINK YOU, and I can agree that cancer is scary and sometimes somewhat random. But I want to empower you to reduce your risk. The American Cancer Society offers that about 45 percent of cancer deaths are associated with modifiable risk factors.
A risk factor is anything that increases your chances of getting a disease, such as cancer. Of course, having a risk factor does not mean that you are sure to get the disease. On the other hand, not having a known risk factor for a disease does not make you immune from it. Still, while we cannot change some risk factors for cancer, there are some risk factors that you can control.
Let’s get the five most significant modifiable risk factors out of the way before we turn to three that might surprise you:
- Cigarette smoking accounts for 19 percent of all cancer cases and nearly 29 percent of cancer deaths.
- Excessive body weight is linked to 8 percent of cancer cases and 6.5 percent of cancer deaths.
- Drinking alcohol is associated with 6 percent of cancer cases and 4 percent of deaths.
- Ultraviolet radiation exposure is linked to nearly 5 percent of cancers and 1.5 percent of deaths.
- Physical inactivity plays a role in 3 percent of cancer cases and 2 percent of cancer deaths.
Grouping together excess body weight, alcohol intake, physical inactivity, and poor diet, we find this quartet responsible for approximately 18 percent of cancer cases and 16 percent of cancer deaths. Let’s take a look at some less obvious risk factors.
Reduce your cancer risk through lifestyle. Please go here to learn more:
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