Smoking, overweight, and inactivity are responsible for 40% of all cancer deaths
A new study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society finds 4 in 10 cancer cases and close to 50% of all cancer deaths in adults under 30 years old could be attributed to modifiable risk factors. That means smoking, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, poor diet, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and infections such as hepatitis or HIV. Cigarette smoking was by far the leading risk factor, contributing to nearly 20% of all cancer cases and 30% of all cancer deaths. It was followed by excess body weight contributing to 7,6% cases, alcohol consumption to 5,4%, UV radiation exposure to 4,6%, and physical inactivity to 3,1%.
“Despite considerable declines in smoking prevalence during the past few decades, the number of lung cancer deaths attributable to cigarette smoking in the United States is alarming. This finding underscores the importance of implementing policies to promote smoking cessation. Interventions to help maintain healthy body weight and diet can also substantially reduce the number of cancer cases and deaths in the country,” commented the study’s lead author Dr Farhad Islami.
What can you do about it?
The better question may be what you should not do. Based on what this and other studies found, it may be just as important to avoid certain unhealthy behaviours as it is to engage in healthful ones.
Let’s start with a list of things to avoid:
- Smoking
- Overeating
- Drinking alcohol to excess
- Excessive unprotected sun exposure
All of these things make it hard for your body to repair itself, which increases your disease risk. If you can manage all four of these points, you’re doing a lot for your health and longevity. And then there are the proactive things you can do to further reduce your chances of developing disease and dying prematurely.
Here is a list of things to do:
Improve your diet by adding fruits, vegetables, and sources of fibre while limiting the amount of processed meat and junk food.
Exercise at least 150 minutes a week at moderate intensity, and do some form of strength training 2x per week.
Sleep close to 8 hours every night.
Use sun protection when exposed for long periods of time.
Only around 6% of people do it right
It’s likely that none of the above-listed behaviours are new to you. And they may all seem like pretty basic, easy things to do. What may be surprising to you is that research shows that only 6,3% of people do all of the basic lifestyle behaviours right! So, if you are able to do that, you’re in a pretty exclusive club.
As a cyclist, it’s likely that you are meeting or exceeding the exercise guidelines. And with regular exercise, it’s much easier to maintain a healthy weight too. It’s typically the regular 8 hours of sleep and protection against UV rays that cyclists struggle with. But we all have to approach it individually and focus on those aspects of lifestyle where we can improve the most.
