WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2009
Study: Change Lifestyle, Cut Cancer Risk
One-Third Of Most Common Cancer Cases In U.S. Preventable By Making Healthy Choices
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According to the report, relatively simple lifestyle changes could prevent as many as 38 percent of breast cancer cases and 45 percent of bowel cancers in the U.S. (CBS)
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The researchers claim to have crafted the most systematic policy report ever on cancer prevention, using data already available from existing research on cancer risk and prevention.
Aside from avoiding smoking, which is still the best way to statistically reduce your chances of a cancer diagnosis, CBS News correspondent Richard Roth reports that, according to the study, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the most important thing you can do.
The research, based on data collected in Brazil, China, Britain and the U.S., suggests that about a third (34 percent) of all cancer cases in America could be prevented simply by people eating better, exercising more and maintaining healthier weights.
Researchers from the American Institute for Cancer Research and the U.K.-based World Cancer Research Fund compiled the report, published Thursday, to urge almost everyone at every level of society to live healthier and encourage others to do the same.
According to the report, relatively simple lifestyle changes could prevent as many as 38 percent of breast cancer cases and 45 percent of bowel cancers in the U.S.
Dr. Tim Byers, a member of the research panel from the University of Colorado at Denver, cautioned that "estimating cancer preventability is a very complex prospect that involves making a number of assumptions."
But he added, in a news release announcing the study, that "the figures in this report are as good an estimate as 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."
The AICR/WCRF report came a day after the results of another study, which collected data on nearly 1.3 million British women, offered yet more evidence that moderate alcohol consumption increases the risk of a handful of cancers.
The report recommends laws and policy changes by government, industry and schools: from adding bicycle lanes to public roads, to banning junk food from vending machines.
Dr. Zeke Emanuel, an oncologist and director of bioethics at the National Institutes of Health, said the U.S. is already "going in the right direction" - and he would, his brother is Rahm Emanuel, President Obama's Chief of Staff.
Emanuel told CBS Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen that Mr. Obama and his brother are "nuts" about improving Americans' health overall. He said the administration has put an unprecedented one billion dollars into the economic stimulus package toward expanding community prevention programs.
The cancer expert says the new policy report by the AICR and the WCRF has really changed the medical industry's tune very little: eat right and exercise and you'll probably live longer.
Emanuel emphasized the need for people to keep tabs on their Body-Mass Index (BMI). It's a mathematical calculation based on your height and weight. Weight (in pounds) x 700 divided by Height (in inches) squared = BMI. (Or you can just follow this link and enter your data.)
Anything higher than 30 is deemed obese. If your result is between 25 and 30, you're overweight, and if it's below 25, your BMI is in the normal range.
Emanuel also stresses the need for people to work at least 20 to 30 minutes of exercise into their days, at least four days every week.
In conjunction with the release of the AICR/WCRF report, 23 cancer experts made 48 recommendations, aimed at nine different but overlapping sectors of society that they called "actor groups" in the report.
"When people think of policy reports, they often think they only speak to governments," said Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Chair of the AICR/WCRF Panel. "But the evidence shows that when it comes to cancer prevention, all groups in society have a vital role to play."
The groups targeted for policy improvements are: multinational bodies; civil society organizations; government; industry; media; schools; workplaces and institutions; health and other professionals; and people, according to a news release.
Here are some of the recommendations, taken directly from the news release:
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Add a Comment See all 43 Comments
- I didn't believe that I needed a colonoscopy... never cancer on either side of my family... but they were going to do a endoscopy so they said lets just do it anyway... your 52... luckily I did it as there were 5 polyps one very large and malignant... so had to have colonectomy to which they found 5 more polyps and so I go for another colonoscopy on Monday... then in four months I have to have this full cancer work up... blood work, ct scan with contrast, mylogram... to make sure there isn't any thing floating around in my body... not many things scare me but cancer does... so I say have the colonoscopy... you are asleep so it doesn't hurt and if I had waited another few months surely it would have been much worse results... chemo and radiation hasn't been ruled out at this point but hopefully they did get it all... I'm an advocate for colonoscopy... Thanks Barb
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- I don't know who you are without a name, but it appears you find conspiracies under every bed. Finding cures is world-wide, sometimes by company employees, sometimes by people at universities and sometimes by adapting traditional medicines. While many cures have been found by Americans (such as Dr Salk), there have been others found by people overseas. Pasteur was French. Penicillin was discovered by an Australian, Howard Florey.
Drugs are produced in countries based in many countries, not just the US. The industry has strong players in France, Germany, the UK and Switzerland. Many of the actual pills are produced in India and packaged elsewhere.
As an aside, Germany's Bayer invented aspirin and heroin. Aspirin was based on a traditional cure, willow bark. Heroin is an opium derivative. - Reply to this comment
- Dr. Salk wife got polio and he spent 6 month in a lab and found a cure. He never made a dime off of it and boy did Big Pharma go to school off of this. This is why there will be no cure for any disease in America, it would ruined profits.
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- On the subject of Vitamin D. The most effective form is D3. While it is good for skin disease and bone density. There is no proof that it can reduce cancer.
A few years ago the inventor of the polio vaccine Dr Jonas Salk, attempted to prove that Vitamin C was a cancer preventative, no link was proven.
If you want to avoid cancer, you should follow a high-fiber, low-fat, low sugar and high natural vitamin diet. There are no guarantees, but at least you are improving the odds.
As to the person who gave the list of things to avoid, I'm afraid his fanaticism was shown rather than any real knowledge. - Reply to this comment
- On the subject of Vitamin D. The most effective form is D3. While it is good for skin disease and bone density. There is no proof that it can reduce cancer.
A few years ago the inventor of the polio vaccine Dr Jonas Salk, attempted to prove that Vitamin C was a cancer preventative, no link was proven.
If you want to avoid cancer, you should follow a high-fiber, low-fat, low sugar and high natural vitamin diet. There are no guarantees, but at least you are improving the odds.
As to the person who gave the list of things to avoid, I'm afraid his fanaticism was shown rather than any real knowledge. - Reply to this comment
- No need for the Medical Community to mention Vitamin D as a preventive; there no profit in prevention with a natural substance. The rest of the world tells the public of this but not in the United States. The FDA sites there have been no scientific studies to validate it. Funny how doctors puts there surviving cancer patients on Vitamin D.
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- Too many people use genetics as an excuse for not living a healthy life, i.e., their health is out of their control. Your genetics can be compared to a loaded gun. However, your lifestyle and environment pull the trigger. When are we going to accept personal responsibility for ourselves?
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- Posted by impeachbhb at 9:41 AM : Feb 27, 2009
It would be great if ppl kept the political BS on the political threads. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by impeachbhb at 9:41 AM : Feb 27, 2009
It would be great if ppl kept the political BS on the political threads. - Reply to this comment
- We no longer need to worry about cancer. Our new President promised us he will have a cure for it in his speech this week.
Go out and buy some cigarettes, Obama needs the tax revene. - Reply to this comment
- Look at the people of Figi or Africa or South America, there are very very few cases of cancer. Why?
Posted by whitemale08 at 8:49 PM : Feb 26, 2009
Uh, have you seen their life expectancies? There are countries in Africa where the life expectancy is LESS THAN 35 YEARS. I suspect the incidence of cancer in the United States of people under 35 would also be pretty low. It's not that I disagree with your stance on healthy food, clean water, and the dangers of GM foods, but your example is weak. - Reply to this comment
- I find it interesting that the story was restricted to cancer connection to fat. The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, Phd. is one of the most extensive studies on the nutrition - cancer connection. It illustrates with many studies that are peer reviewed that it is not JUST FAT that increases your chance of cancer. It is animal based foods and protein that increase your chances of cancer. If we ate a primarily plant based diet, cancer and heart disease would not be the killers of today.
Perhaps CBS was afraid to tell the full story because they are intimidated by the Beef Council, etc or sponsors like Mc Donalds. - Reply to this comment
- If you stop eating processed foods, drinking treated sewage and injecting the livestock we eat with GMO foods, harmones and microwave pastuerization, brushing your teeth with flouride then we wouldn't have cancer.
Look at the people of Figi or Africa or South America, there are very very few cases of cancer. Why?
Because they drink fresh squeezed fruit juices, eat grass fed livestock and stay away from processed junk food.
STOP THE POISONING OF AMERICA. - Reply to this comment
- loracc,
I don't think "prevent" is quite the right word. People who lead a totally wholesome lifestyle can contract cancer. Genetics can be a major factor. To use the word "prevent" would give those who do everything right and still get cancer a feeling that they were somehow cheating.
What should be said is that certain lifestyle changes can greatly reduce the risk of having cancer. - Reply to this comment
- It's hard to imagine that anyone could hope to prevent cancer, but hundreds of scientific studies say that some people can.
Information on how to reduce breast cancer risk and recurrence is at www.ReduceBreastCancerRisk.com. - Reply to this comment
- You can't win. It costs more generally to eat healthier. But no one talks about this.
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- So to sum up everything the medical community has told us in my lifetime... Exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep...but never eat anything, drink anything, or breathe. Gotcha.
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- As lifestyles go, Mormons probably have the answer. As well as banning alcohol and tobacco, they also ban caffeine products. Coffee, tea and chocolate can lead to a number of health problems. That said, I could never be a Mormon because of the rest of their beliefs.
It was interesting to see that part of the the study came from the UK. In some ways their lifestyle is worse than that of the US. In the northern parts of England and Scotland, they have a phobia for green vegetables.
As a person of libertarian beliefs, I don't want to see government intruding in every aspect of my life, but I have no objection to a fat content tax (but no bans) for snack foods and a publicly-funded education campaign on diet and exercise. - Reply to this comment
- Chiropractors have been telling people about the effects of lifestyle on our general health and wellbeing since the early 1900's. Chiropractic Leadership Alliance has a program called Creating Wellness that addresses these very things. Chiropractic can definitly help maximize your health potential!
Ah, but chiropractors are quacks. Nobody should listen to them. - Reply to this comment
- To, "Why don't we all get down on a prayer rug,....." pathetic. Your statement not only shows your age, by vertue of your ignorance. It also shows your ugly, mean-spirited soul that depicts an era from which this great country has worked so hard to rise above. Pathetic, sick, demented. Thank God (or whatever means of goodness one chooses to look to) for others that have determined to develop themselves to a greater good than the words you?ve written. Sick!
Posted by trithree at 8:37 AM : Feb 26, 2009
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A lot of words....you can spout a lot of words and say ablolutely nothing..... - Reply to this comment
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